Merit Medical Systems, a global leader of healthcare technology, announced that Embosphere Microspheres are now indicated in the European Union for use in genicular artery embolisation (GAE) to treat patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA).

The most common type of arthritis, OA, affects about 595 million people worldwide, with the knee being the most frequently affected joint. Ageing populations, as well as increasing rates of injury and obesity, contribute to this number, and prevalence is expected to increase.

Performed by an interventional radiologist, GAE selectively reduces blood flow to the inflamed synovium (thin lining within the joint), offering meaningful reductions in knee pain, improved joint function and mobility, and the potential to delay or avoid surgical intervention. GAE represents a growing area within musculoskeletal embolisation and is part of a broader trend toward minimally invasive, image-guided pain management therapies.