If you’ve tried physical therapy, cortisone injections, bracing, and mon
Living with chronic pain or disruptive symptoms does not always mean that major surgery is your only option.
Premier Vascular in Macon, GA offers advanced embolization therapies for several painful and life-limiting conditions, including osteoarthritis, chronic tendon and heel pain, uterine fibroids, benign thyroid nodules and goiter. These minimally invasive procedures target the blood vessels contributing to inflammation, pain or abnormal tissue growth.
Most embolization procedures are performed through a small needle puncture rather than a surgical incision. Patients can typically return home the same day following a short period of observation.
Though embolization uses the same technique regardless of the treatment area, each treatment is carefully planned based on the patient’s symptoms, medical history, imaging and individual treatment goals.
Embolization is a minimally invasive, image-guided procedure that selectively reduces blood flow to a specific area of the body.
During the procedure, a Premier Vascular surgeon guides a very small catheter through an artery to the blood vessels associated with the patient’s condition. Once the correct vessels are identified, tiny medical particles or another embolic material are delivered through the catheter.
The goal is not to eliminate normal circulation. Instead, embolization targets specific abnormal or excessive blood flow while preserving blood supply to surrounding healthy tissue.
Depending on the condition being treated, reducing this blood flow may help:
Tennis Elbow affects the outer part of the elbow, where the tendons connecting the forearm muscles attach to the bony bump on the outside of the arm (the lateral epicondyle). Pain is typically felt on the outer elbow and can radiate down the forearm.
Who gets it: Tennis players, but also office workers, painters, plumbers, cooks, carpenters — anyone who performs repetitive gripping or wrist extension.
Symptoms: Outer elbow pain, weak grip, pain when lifting even light objects, burning sensation along the outer forearm.
Golfer’s Elbow affects the inner part of the elbow, where the tendons that flex the wrist and fingers attach at the medial epicondyle.
Who gets it: Golfers, baseball pitchers, and anyone with repetitive gripping, throwing, or wrist-flexing activity — including many tradespeople and manual laborers.
Symptoms: Inner elbow pain, stiffness, weakness in the hand or wrist, numbness or tingling toward the ring and little fingers.
You may be a good candidate if:
Embolization is generally not the first step. It’s designed for patients whose pain has proven resistant to standard care — and who deserve a better answer than “keep waiting” or “let’s do surgery.”
Am I a Candidate? Talk to Our Team
Before the procedure:
You’ll have a consultation with one of our interventional specialists to review your imaging, symptoms, and treatment history. If embolization is appropriate, we’ll schedule the procedure and walk you through everything in advance.
Day of the procedure:
The procedure is performed under local anesthesia — you’ll be awake, comfortable, and free of pain at the access site. A small needle is placed at the wrist to access the radial artery. No incisions. No stitches.
During the procedure:
Using real-time imaging guidance, the specialist advances a thin catheter from the wrist to the affected area of the elbow. Once positioned, embolic material is delivered precisely into the abnormal vessels feeding the damaged tendon.
After the procedure:
You’ll rest briefly in our facility and then go home the same day. Most patients resume light daily activity the following day. Some mild soreness at the access site is normal and resolves quickly.
In the weeks that follow:
Pain reduction typically develops over 2 to 4 weeks as inflammation subsides and the tendon begins to heal. Many patients report significant improvement within the first month.
The reason chronic tendon pain is so hard to treat isn’t the tendon itself — it’s the abnormal vascular tissue that forms around it.
In healthy tissue, blood vessels deliver nutrients and remove waste. In chronic tendinopathy, a process called neovascularization drives abnormal vessel growth into the tendon. These new vessels are accompanied by unmyelinated sensory nerve fibers — the kind that transmit pain signals. This is why the pain becomes constant, disproportionate, and resistant to anti-inflammatory treatments: you’re no longer just dealing with inflammation. You’re dealing with new nerve pathways keeping the pain loop active.
Embolization interrupts that loop. By blocking the abnormal vessels, the procedure removes the structural foundation that those nerve fibers depend on. Published research in the Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery and the Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology has demonstrated significant, durable improvements in pain scores, grip strength, and function — with a strong safety profile and no observed damage to surrounding bone, cartilage, or healthy tissue.
| Treatment | Invasiveness | Recovery | Addresses Neovascularization | Preserves Joint Anatomy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rest / Bracing | None | Weeks–months | No | Yes |
| Physical Therapy | None | Ongoing | No | Yes |
| Cortisone Injection | Minimal | Days | No | Yes |
| PRP Injection | Minimal | Weeks | Partial | Yes |
| Elbow Embolization | Minimally invasive | 1–2 days | Yes | Yes |
| Surgery | Invasive | Weeks–months | Varies | Altered |
The key distinction: Cortisone and other injections can temporarily reduce inflammation but don’t address the underlying neovascularization. Embolization treats the structural source of the problem — which is why it tends to produce more durable results in patients who’ve already failed other therapies.
Embolization may be considered for patients who:
The best candidates depend on the condition being treated. Some patients may need additional imaging, laboratory testing, specialist consultations or a biopsy before a treatment recommendation can be made.
Recovery varies by procedure and by patient.
Most embolization patients return home the same day and gradually resume normal activities according to their physician’s instructions. Mild soreness, bruising or tenderness may occur near the catheter access site.
Pain relief may develop gradually as inflammation decreases. Some patients notice improvement relatively quickly, while others experience changes over several weeks or months.
Recovery from uterine fibroid embolization or thyroid artery embolization may involve additional symptoms related to the treated tissue. Your Premier Vascular physician will provide detailed instructions for medication, activity, follow-up appointments and symptoms that require medical attention.
Embolization is a minimally invasive catheter-based procedure, not open surgery. It is usually performed through a small needle puncture in an artery rather than a large incision.
No. Embolization is carefully targeted to specific abnormal or excessive blood vessels. The goal is to reduce the blood flow contributing to symptoms while preserving circulation to surrounding healthy tissue.
The timeline varies by condition. Some patients experience improvement within days or weeks, while tissue shrinkage and symptom improvement following fibroid or thyroid embolization may occur gradually over several months.
Results vary depending on the condition, its severity and the patient’s overall health. Some patients experience long-term improvement, while others may eventually need additional treatment.
Many embolization procedures are performed using local anesthesia and medication to help the patient relax. The specific anesthesia plan depends on the procedure and the patient’s medical needs.
Possibly. Many patients considered for musculoskeletal embolization have already tried medication, therapy, injections or other conservative treatments. Your complete treatment history will be reviewed during your evaluation.
Coverage varies by insurance plan, diagnosis and procedure. Some newer embolization treatments may not be covered by every insurance carrier. Our team can help patients understand authorization requirements and available payment options.
You do not have to assume that chronic pain, fibroid symptoms or pressure from an enlarged thyroid automatically requires major surgery.
Premier Vascular offers advanced embolization consultations for patients in Macon and throughout Middle Georgia. Our vascular specialists will review your condition, explain your options and determine whether a minimally invasive treatment may help.
Call 478-250-9785 today to schedule your UFE consultaton.
Serving patients across Macon and Central Georgia.
