Ep. 122 MSK Embolization Techniques & Guidelines for Clinical Practice with Dr. Anuj Malhotra and Dr. Ally Baheti

Why is MSK embolization taking off so fast? For patients with knee osteoarthritis who have tried everything short of surgery, genicular artery embolization (GAE) fills a gap few other treatments can, backed by a growing body of evidence from around the world that it is safe and reproducible. On this episode of the BackTable 2026 MSK Creator Weekend™, Dr. Osman Ahmed of Joint and Vascular Institute moderates a conversation with Dr. Anuj Malhotra of NYU Langone Hospital Long Island and Dr. Ally Baheti of Sound Vascular & Vein about the work that happens outside the procedure room. They review the evidence they rely on, what a recent sham-controlled trial means for the field, how they quote success to patients, why the minimal clinically important difference in pain medicine reframes GAE outcomes, and what the new SIR position statement means for physicians offering the procedure. --- Get the BackTable apphttps://www.backtable.com/app --- This podcast is supported by an educational grant from Guerbet. --- Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction01:33 - The GAE Evidence Base and Quoting Success Rates04:50 - MCID, Placebo, and the van Zadelhoff Sham Trial10:13 - The SIR Position Statement on GAE13:52 - Training, Adoption, and Standardizing Technique21:21 - Regulatory and Legal Considerations26:33 - Standard of Care and Medicolegal Risk30:26 - Rheumatology Referrals and Society Guidelines32:49 - Orthopedic Partnerships, Post-TKA Pain, and Hemarthrosis38:33 - Documentation and Practice Operations Pearls41:15 - Bilateral Knees and Patient Expectations43:44 - Closing Remarks --- More about this episode The group then explores where that growth is happening, from office-based labs to academic centers, how standardized endpoints and temporary embolics could make the procedure more reproducible, and when an innovative procedure can be considered standard of care. They also discuss referrals from rheumatology and orthopedics, the path toward ACR and AAOS guidelines, and pain after knee replacement and hemarthrosis as a bridge to orthopedic partners. Dr. Ahmed Farag of Advanced Vascular Institute drops in with documentation pearls, and the episode closes on timing treatment of the second knee and setting patient expectations. --- Resources Ahmed O, et al. Society of Interventional Radiology Position Statement on Genicular Artery Embolization for Symptomatic Knee Osteoarthritis. J Vasc Interv Radiol. 2026https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvir.2026.108803 van Zadelhoff TA, et al. Long-term outcomes of genicular artery embolization for knee osteoarthritis: 12-month efficacy and secondary outcomes from a randomized sham-controlled clinical trial. Eur Radiol. 2026https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-026-12505-8 Bagla S, et al. Multicenter Randomized Sham Controlled Study of Genicular Artery Embolization for Knee Pain Secondary to Osteoarthritis. J Vasc Interv Radiol. 2022https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvir.2021.09.019 Little MW, et al. Genicular Artery Embolisation in Patients with Osteoarthritis of the Knee (GENESIS) Using Permanent Microspheres: Long-Term Results. Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol. 2024https://doi.org/10.1007/s00270-024-03752-7 Dr. Anuj Malhotra, NYU Langone Healthhttps://nyulangone.org/doctors/1629369657/anuj-malhotra Dr. Ally Baheti, BackTable contributor pagehttps://backtable.com/shows/vi/contributors/dr-aparna-baheti Dr. Osman Ahmed, BackTable contributor pagehttps://www.backtable.com/shows/vi/contributors/dr-osmad-ahmed Dr. Ahmed Farag, BackTable contributor pagehttps://www.backtable.com/shows/msk/contributors/dr-ahmed-farag --- BackTable Bone & Sports is the go-to podcast for orthopedic surgeons, sports medicine docs, pain specialists, and MSK radiologists. Download the free BackTable app to get early access to new episodes, cases, and courses curated by physicians in your specialty. ► https://www.backtable.com/app