A minimally invasive, image-guided procedure that reduces abnormal blood flow associated with chronic shoulder inflammation, without open surgery.
01
A small needle or catheter is placed into an artery supplying the hand.
02
Imaging identifies abnormal blood flow around the painful joints.
03
Embolic material is delivered to reduce abnormal inflammatory blood flow.
04
The access site is closed and you are monitored before discharge.
What to expect after TAME for Chronic Hand Pain. Most patients recover quickly and return to normal activities within days.
Outpatient procedure.
You go home the same day.
Outpatient procedure.
You go home the same day.
Outpatient procedure.
You go home the same day.
Outpatient procedure.
You go home the same day.
Outpatient procedure.
You go home the same day.
How Transcatheter Arterial Microembolization (TAME) for Chronic Hand Pain
Does TAME repair the hand joint?
No. TAME does not regrow cartilage, reverse osteoarthritis, or repair structural joint damage. It is designed to reduce abnormal blood flow associated with chronic inflammation, which may help reduce pain and improve hand function.
TAME may be considered for selected patients with persistent osteoarthritis-related pain in the thumb or finger joints, especially when conservative treatments have not provided enough relief.
A steroid injection delivers anti-inflammatory medication directly into or around the painful joint. TAME works through the arterial blood supply, targeting abnormal vessels associated with chronic inflammation. Neither treatment restores lost cartilage.
The access area is numbed with local anesthesia, and medication may be provided to help you relax. You may feel a brief pinch or pressure during the procedure, but significant discomfort is not expected.
By reducing pain and inflammation, TAME may help some patients use their hands more comfortably for gripping, pinching, writing, and other daily activities. Results vary from patient to patient.
Improvement is usually gradual rather than immediate. Some patients may notice changes within the first few weeks, while pain and function may continue to improve over the following months.
TAME is intended to reduce pain and improve function, not repair structural joint damage. If surgery becomes necessary in the future, your hand specialist can discuss the appropriate options.
Arterial embolization for hand osteoarthritis is an emerging minimally invasive treatment. Early studies have shown promising improvements in pain and function, but larger clinical studies are still needed.
Coverage varies by insurance company, diagnosis, medical necessity, and plan requirements. Before treatment is scheduled, our team can verify your benefits and request authorization when required.
Knee Pain & GAE
Most people with chronic knee or joint pain have quietly learned to live with it. A vascular specialist in Bakersfield explains why that is worth reconsidering this Pain Awareness Month.
Heart & Vascular Health, PAD & Circulation
When someone gets a high cholesterol result, the conversation almost always goes the same direction: heart disease risk, statins, diet changes, and keeping an eye on blood pressure. All of that is appropriate. But there is something consistently missing from that conversation. The same cholesterol buildup that narrows the arteries near your heart does the exact same thing to the arteries supplying your legs. And for a lot of patients managing high cholesterol, nobody has told them that.
Heart & Vascular Health, PAD & Circulation
September is Vascular Disease Awareness Month and PAD Awareness Month. Here is why that matters specifically for patients in Bakersfield and Kern County, and what a free vascular screening can tell you.
Knee Pain & GAE
Knee Pain at Night: Why It Gets Worse When You Stop Moving and What It Could Mean Most people expect joint pain to get worse during activity. Push it too hard, feel it afterward. That logic makes sense. So when knee pain is worst at night, when you are lying still, not putting any weight on it, not doing anything at all, it catches people off guard. Some assume they slept in a bad position. Others take a painkiller and try to push through. What fewer people know is that nighttime knee pain has a specific meaning. It is not random. It is telling you something about what is driving the pain, and it points directly toward a mechanism that standard treatments often miss.
Heart & Vascular Health, PAD & Circulation
What Happens to Your Legs When You Sit All Day. And Why It Matters More Than You Think sitting all day effects on leg circulation poor circulation vascular health Bakersfield Most people know that sitting too much is not great for them. They have heard it enough times. But the conversation usually stays vague, centered around back pain, posture, or burning calories. What gets far less attention is what prolonged sitting does specifically to the blood flow in your legs. And for a significant number of people, particularly those with diabetes, high blood pressure, or a family history of heart disease, the effects are not just discomfort. They are the early stages of a real vascular problem.
PAD & Circulation
Your Heart Gets a Lot of Attention. Your Leg Arteries Deserve the Same
chronic knee pain management vs treatment what actually helps HVLC Bakersfield
Every February, American Heart Month reminds people to take care of their arteries, watch their cholesterol, check their blood pressure, and protect their cardiovascular health.
Knee Pain & GAE
Pain management and pain treatment are not the same thing. If your knee still hurts after months of coping, here is what a vascular specialist in Bakersfield thinks you should know.
Vein Disease & DVT
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a circulatory system problem that occurs in the deep veins of your legs. Anyone who’s developed any stage of vein disease is at risk for developing this potentially life-threatening condition, but knowing your risks will help you get medical treatment at the first sign of trouble.
PAD & Circulation
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a circulatory system problem that occurs in the deep veins of your legs. Anyone who’s developed any stage of vein disease is at risk for developing this potentially life-threatening condition, but knowing your risks will help you get medical treatment at the first sign of trouble.
PAD & Circulation
If your days involve long hours of sitting at a desk or standing on your feet, your legs may be working overtime to keep blood moving. The good news? You don’t need a gym session—or much time—to support healthy circulation. A few simple stretches, like calf raises and ankle circles, can make a noticeable difference in just minutes.
Knee Pain & GAE
GAE vs. Knee Replacement: Understanding Where Genicular Artery Embolization Fits
Not Every Patient With Knee Arthritis Is Ready for Surgery Knee osteoarthritis can progress slowly over years. Some patients manage symptoms with exercise, medication, injections, weight loss, bracing, or physical therapy. Others eventually reach a point where knee replacement becomes the best option.
PAD & Circulation
Leg heaviness, cold feet, slow-healing wounds. These are not just signs of aging. A vascular specialist in Bakersfield explains what declining circulation looks like and when to act.
Knee Pain & GAE
Arthritis Is Not Just About Your Joints. Here Is Why Your Blood Vessels Matter Too And most of the conversation this month follows the same familiar path: cartilage breakdown, joint wear, inflammation, medication, physiotherapy, and eventually surgery.
Knee Pain & GAE
Knee replacement surgery is a big decision. Before you commit, here is what most surgeons do not tell you upfront, and what else may be worth trying first in Bakersfield.
Knee Pain & GAE
Being told your knee is bone on bone does not automatically mean surgery is your only option. A vascular specialist in Bakersfield explains what it really means and what else may help.
Knee Pain & GAE
Tried cortisone shots, physio, and injections but your knee pain is still not gone? You may be missing the real source of the problem. Learn about Genicular Artery Embolization, now available in Bakersfield.
Mon - Thu
8am - 6pm
Fri
8am - 5pm
Sat - Sun
Closed
Medicare
Medicare
Most PPOs
Same-day appointments often available
5020 Commerce Dr, Bakersfield, CA 93309
Advanced minimally invasive treatments for knee pain, joint pain poor circulation, vein disease and chronic pain.
Helping patients find relief without major surgery.
Follow us on: