What Is Transarterial Embolization (TAE)?
Transarterial embolization (TAE) is a minimally invasive procedure that treats chronic shoulder pain by reducing inflammation inside the shoulder joint.
TAE targets abnormal blood vessels, called neovessels, that develop in chronically inflamed shoulder tissues. These abnormal blood vessels can contribute to ongoing inflammation, pain, and restricted shoulder movement. By reducing blood flow to these abnormal vessels, TAE helps interrupt the cycle of chronic inflammation and pain.
TAE may be an option for patients with adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder) or rotator cuff tendinopathy who continue to experience pain despite physical therapy, medications, or steroid injections. TAE is often considered when patients want to avoid surgery or are not candidates for surgery.
How Does TAE Work?
During transarterial embolization, an interventional radiologist uses advanced imaging guidance to identify the abnormal blood vessels supplying inflamed tissue within the shoulder. A thin catheter is inserted into an artery and guided to the blood vessels serving the shoulder joint. The physician then injects a specialized embolic agent to reduce blood flow to the abnormal vessels.
Reducing blood flow to these abnormal vessels helps decrease inflammation and may reduce the pain signals associated with chronic shoulder conditions. Research using MRI and PET/CT imaging has shown that TAE can reduce inflammation in the shoulder capsule and surrounding tissues, which may contribute to improved pain relief and shoulder mobility.
Who Can Benefit
You may be a candidate for transarterial embolization if you:
- Have experienced chronic shoulder pain for at least three months.
- Have pain that interferes with sleep, work, exercise, or daily activities.
- Have not achieved adequate relief with physical therapy, medications, or steroid injections.
- Have adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder).
- Have symptomatic rotator cuff tendinopathy.
- Want to avoid surgery or are not a good candidate for surgery.
- Have diabetes or another condition that may complicate surgical recovery.
An interventional radiologist will review your symptoms, imaging studies, and treatment history to determine whether TAE is appropriate for your condition.
What to Expect
Before the procedure
Before treatment, you will meet with an interventional radiologist for a comprehensive evaluation. Your doctor will review:
- Your medical history
- Previous treatments
- Laboratory results
- Imaging studies, such as MRI scans
During this visit, your physician will discuss the potential benefits and risks of TAE and determine whether you are a candidate for treatment.
During the procedure
TAE is typically performed using local anesthesia and light sedation. During the procedure:
- The interventional radiologist inserts a thin catheter through a small puncture in the wrist (radial artery) or groin (femoral artery).
- Advanced imaging is used to guide the catheter to the arteries supplying the shoulder.
- The physician identifies abnormal blood vessels associated with inflammation.
- An embolic agent, such as microbeads or medical oils selected for your specific case, is delivered to reduce blood flow to the abnormal vessels.
The procedure is performed through a tiny access site and does not require open surgery.
After the procedure
Most patients return home the same day. Recovery is typically straightforward because the procedure is minimally invasive. Many patients experience:
- Improvement in nighttime shoulder pain within the first week
- Gradual improvement in shoulder motion
- Better shoulder function over the following weeks and months
Your physician will provide individualized instructions regarding activity levels, rehabilitation, and physical therapy.
Benefits of TAE for Shoulder Pain
Clinical studies have demonstrated meaningful improvements in pain, mobility, and function for patients with chronic shoulder pain treated with TAE.
Reduced Shoulder Pain
Many patients report substantial reductions in pain during the first several months after treatment. Improvements are often noticeable in both daytime symptoms and nighttime pain.
Improved Range of Motion
Patients commonly experience better shoulder mobility, including improvements in overhead movement, forward elevation, and external rotation. Improved mobility can make daily activities easier and more comfortable.
Better Function
As pain decreases and motion improves, patients often regain the ability to perform daily activities with less limitation. Functional outcome scores reported in clinical studies have shown significant improvement following treatment.
Faster Recovery Compared With Surgery
For some patients, TAE may provide symptom relief without the recovery period associated with surgical intervention. Clinical comparisons have shown favorable outcomes for appropriately selected patients.
Minimally Invasive Treatment
TAE is performed through a small catheter rather than a surgical incision. Most patients return home the same day and avoid the prolonged recovery associated with major shoulder surgery.
Why Choose UHealth for Minimally Invasive Shoulder Pain Treatment?
Chronic shoulder pain can affect every aspect of daily life, from sleep and work to exercise and routine activities. At UHealth, our Interventional Radiology team offers advanced, minimally invasive treatment options for patients who have not found relief with physical therapy, medications, or injections.
Our goal is to identify the source of your pain and create a personalized treatment plan that helps restore function, improve mobility, and reduce discomfort.
Specialized Expertise in Image-Guided Procedures. Your care is provided by interventional radiologists with specialized training in minimally invasive, image-guided treatments. Using advanced imaging technology, our physicians can precisely target the blood vessels and nerves that contribute to chronic shoulder pain while minimizing disruption to surrounding tissues.
Personalized Treatment Planning. Not all shoulder pain has the same cause. Conditions such as adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder), rotator cuff tendinopathy, and shoulder arthritis may require different treatment approaches. Our team carefully reviews your symptoms, medical history, prior treatments, and imaging studies to determine which procedure — or combination of procedures — may provide the greatest benefit.
Comprehensive Minimally Invasive Treatment Options. UHealth offers multiple minimally invasive treatment options for chronic shoulder pain, including transarterial embolization (TAE), diagnostic and therapeutic nerve blocks, radiofrequency ablation, and cryoablation. Because these treatments address different causes of pain and inflammation, patients may benefit from a customized treatment strategy designed around their individual condition and goals.
Focused on Function, Mobility, and Quality of Life. Successful treatment involves more than reducing pain. Our team focuses on helping patients improve shoulder mobility, return to daily activities, participate in physical therapy more comfortably, and regain the ability to perform tasks that chronic shoulder pain may have limited.
Minimally Invasive Alternatives to Surgery. Many patients seek treatment because they want to avoid surgery or are not candidates for surgical intervention. Minimally invasive procedures such as TAE, nerve blocks, and nerve ablation may provide meaningful symptom relief without the recovery associated with major shoulder surgery. These outpatient procedures are designed to help patients return home the same day and resume normal activities as directed by their physician.
Take the Next Step
If chronic shoulder pain is preventing you from sleeping, working, exercising, or enjoying the activities you love, a minimally invasive treatment may be an option. Schedule a consultation with a UHealth interventional radiologist to learn whether transarterial embolization (TAE), a nerve block, or nerve ablation may be right for you.
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