Injecting tiny plastic particles into knee joints could offer hope for patients suffering from arthritis pain, NHS research suggests.
This groundbreaking technique requires only local anesthesia, a few hours of hospitalization and leaves minimal scarring.
Around 40 people with knee arthritis underwent a procedure called knee artery embolisation as part of a clinical trial by the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Reading.
Two-thirds reported a significant reduction in swelling, and more than half experienced relief from pain.
The condition, medically known as osteoarthritis, affects 10 million people in the UK, according to the charity Versus Arthritis. The condition occurs when the synovial membrane on the inside of the knee becomes swollen, causing pain.
This groundbreaking technique requires only local anesthesia, a few hours of hospitalization, and leaves minimal to no scarring. (Stock Photo)
Osteoarthritis affects 10 million people in the UK, causing chronic joint pain. (Stock Photo)
This causes the knee to not function properly and wears down the cartilage that cushions the ends of the bones in the joint.
The surgery targets new, “defective” blood vessels that grow in the synovium and release chemicals that trigger a cycle of pain and inflammation.
Patient Tim Cooper, 67, took part in the trial despite pain in his left knee that prevented him from sleeping, struggling to climb stairs and even working in the garden or taking walks. But the former Ministry of Defence manager says that since undergoing the procedure in 2021, his symptoms have disappeared and his life has been transformed.
The Navy veteran, from Gosport, Hampshire, has since taken up beekeeping, looks after several privately owned plots and walks rescued dogs five miles a day.
Ms Cooper said: “This surgery has made a huge difference in my life. I was in constant pain and it really limited what I could do. Now it’s the same as my other knee.”
“I’ve always loved being outside, going for walks, working in the yard, and doing the things that I’ve missed that really bring joy to life. This activity has given me my life back.”
Professor Mark Little, a radiologist at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading, began the trial after discovering that blocking blood vessels – a type of procedure called embolization – was effective in treating other conditions. Embolization is used to treat enlarged prostates, benign uterine and liver tumours, and can also stop heavy bleeding after accidents.
In the new knee version of the procedure, the patient is injected with a local anesthetic and then a needle is used to access an artery in the groin.
The surgery targets new, “defective” blood vessels that grow in the synovium and release chemicals that trigger a cycle of pain and inflammation. (Stock Photo)
Injecting tiny plastic particles into knee joints could offer hope to patients suffering from arthritis pain. (Stock Photo)
A thin, hollow tube is guided by an x-ray machine and inserted into the main blood vessel that supplies blood to the knee.
Next, a tiny amount of fluid containing plastic beads the size of sand is injected through a catheter into the affected blood vessels in the synovial membrane, blocking blood flow.
“Our theory is that if we can stop these chemical messengers at the place where they are made, we can stop the inflammation and perhaps slow the progression of the disease,” says Little.
“This could significantly reduce pain levels and prevent many people from needing knee replacement surgery. While it won’t work for everyone, it offers a hopeful and exciting new option.”
“The procedure is best suited for patients with mild to moderate disease who are not responding to standard treatments such as painkillers and physical therapy, but whose symptoms are not bad enough to warrant knee replacement surgery.”
“Many of my patients are in their 50s and 60s and are living with the nightmare of chronic pain, which has a huge impact on their daily lives.”
Nine of the original 40 people who underwent surgery subsequently underwent knee replacement surgery, and six more people in the study were found to be ineligible for surgery.
One patient required treatment for a blood clot in his veins after taking a break from activity during his recovery, but otherwise experienced few complications.The treatment was rejected by the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in 2021 because health officials felt there was too little evidence about its long-term effects.
The Reading team are now conducting a larger study of 110 patients, half of whom will have a sham operation, and hope that this new research, along with similar trials in Japan and the US, will lead to NICE approval.
