Knee TAME™ is Champion Health System's approach to Genicular Artery Embolization, or GAE. It is a minimally invasive, image-guided vascular procedure that selectively treats abnormal blood vessels that may be associated with persistent inflammation around the knee.
Still Living With Knee Pain After Physical Therapy or Injections?
TAME Knee™ is a minimally invasive, image-guided treatment option for appropriately selected patients with chronic knee pain who want to explore another option before major knee surgery.
- Raleigh, Dunn, Oxford, Henderson & Surrounding North Carolina Communities
Another Option for Persistent Knee Pain
Many patients continue to experience knee pain even after Physical Therapy, medications, bracing, or injections.
When conservative treatments have not provided adequate lasting relief, Knee TAME™ may be another option for appropriately selected patients who want to explore treatment before major knee surgery.
What Is TAME Knee™?
Knee TAME™ uses Genicular Artery Embolization, or GAE, to selectively treat abnormal blood vessels that may be associated with persistent inflammation around the knee.
Using advanced imaging and a minimally invasive catheter-based approach, the physician targets these vessels without a major surgical incision or joint replacement.
Unlike a traditional knee injection, Knee TAME™ is an image-guided vascular procedure.
Why Patients Consider Knee TAME™
- Minimally invasive treatment
- No major surgical incision
- No joint replacement
- Advanced image-guided precision
- Typically performed as an outpatient procedure
- Patients generally return home the same day
- Designed to preserve the natural knee joint
-
May be an option after Physical Therapy, medications,
bracing, or injections have not provided adequate lasting relief
President & Medical Director
Meet Radhakrishnan Ramaraj, MD, FSCAI
Champion Heart and Vascular Center / Champion Health System
Dr. Radhakrishnan Ramaraj is an Interventional Cardiologist with extensive experience in vascular medicine and advanced image-guided and endovascular procedures. His training includes fellowship experience associated with Cedars-Sinai/UCLA and Yale University, along with vascular interpretation training at Harvard’s Brigham & Women’s Hospital.
He is board certified in Interventional Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine, serves as an Associate Professor of Medicine at Campbell University, and is a Fellow of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, or FSCAI.
In 2025, Dr. Ramaraj also visited Dr. Yuji Okuno’s clinic in Japan for additional training and observation related to musculoskeletal embolization.
Who May Be a Candidate for Knee TAME™?
Knee TAME™ may be considered for patients who:
- Have chronic knee pain or knee osteoarthritis
-
Have tried Physical Therapy, medications, bracing,
or injections without adequate lasting relief - Want to explore another option before major knee surgery
- Are interested in a minimally invasive treatment when clinically appropriate
An individual clinical evaluation is required to determine candidacy.
What to Expect From Knee TAME™
Clinical Evaluation
Champion’s medical team reviews your symptoms, medical history, previous treatments, and relevant clinical information.
Determine Candidacy
Your physician determines whether Knee TAME™ may be an appropriate treatment option for your individual condition.
Image-Guided Procedure
For appropriate patients, Knee TAME™ is performed using advanced imaging and a minimally invasive catheter-based approach.
Follow-Up
Patients continue to receive follow-up through Champion Health System’s medical team.
Why Champion Health System?
Champion Health System combines advanced image-guided procedural capabilities with an integrated approach to patient care.
Patients receive evaluation, imaging, treatment, and follow-up through a coordinated medical team experienced in interventional cardiology, vascular medicine, and advanced endovascular procedures.
With dedicated outpatient facilities and multiple locations throughout North Carolina, Champion provides appropriately selected patients with another treatment option between conservative therapy and major surgery when clinically appropriate.
Clinical Evaluation
Champion’s medical team reviews your symptoms, medical history, previous treatments, and relevant clinical information.
Clinical Evaluation
Champion’s medical team reviews your symptoms, medical history, previous treatments, and relevant clinical information.
Clinical Evaluation
Champion’s medical team reviews your symptoms, medical history, previous treatments, and relevant clinical information.
Clinical Evaluation
Champion’s medical team reviews your symptoms, medical history, previous treatments, and relevant clinical information.
Clinical Evaluation
Champion’s medical team reviews your symptoms, medical history, previous treatments, and relevant clinical information.
Insurance & Treatment Evaluation
Champion Health System accepts a broad range of commercial insurance, Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and other health plans.
Insurance coverage varies by plan. Our team can verify your benefits and discuss your coverage and treatment options.
Our patient care team can help verify your insurance benefits and explain the next steps before treatment.
Find Out If You're a Candidate for TAME™
Fill out the form below to get started.
Our patient care team will contact you to learn more about your symptoms, previous treatments, and help determine the appropriate next step for a clinical evaluation.
Our Locations
Champion Health System
- 1614 Williamsboro St Oxford, NC 27565
- Mon - Fri: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Fax: (855) 618-2311
- Phoenix Office
- 7010 E. Chauncey Lane, Suite 120 - Phoenix, AZ 85054
- Phone: (480) 462-2716
Champion Heart and Vascular Center
- 710 Erwin Rd Dunn, NC 28334
- Mon - Fri: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Fax: (910) 292-2627
- Phoenix Office
- 7010 E. Chauncey Lane, Suite 120 - Phoenix, AZ 85054
- Phone: (480) 462-2716
Champion Diabetic Wound and Limb Preservation
- 511 Ruin Creek Rd Suite 106 Henderson, NC 27536
- Mon - Fri: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Fax: (252) 572-4150
- Phoenix Office
- 7010 E. Chauncey Lane, Suite 120 - Phoenix, AZ 85054
- Phone: (480) 462-2716
Champion Internal Medicine & Geriatrics
- 511 Ruin Creek Rd Suite 203 Henderson, NC 27536
- Mon - Fri: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
- Fax: (252) 565-0559
- Phoenix Office
- 7010 E. Chauncey Lane, Suite 120 - Phoenix, AZ 85054
- Phone: (480) 462-2716
Champion Heart and Vascular Center
- 7901 ACC Blvd #102 Raleigh, NC 27617
- Mon - Fri: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Phoenix Office
- 7010 E. Chauncey Lane, Suite 120 - Phoenix, AZ 85054
- Phone: (480) 462-2716
Frequently Asked Questions
Traditional knee injections deliver medication directly into or around the joint. Knee TAME™ uses an image-guided catheter-based approach to selectively treat targeted blood vessels associated with the affected area.
Knee TAME™ may be considered for appropriately selected
patients with chronic knee pain, including some patients with
knee osteoarthritis who have not received adequate lasting
relief from Physical Therapy, medications, bracing, injections,
or other conservative treatments.
An individual clinical evaluation is required to determine
candidacy.
Some patients seek Knee TAME™ because they want to explore a
minimally invasive treatment option before major knee surgery.
However, Knee TAME™ cannot guarantee that Knee Replacement
will never be necessary. Whether surgery may be delayed or
avoided depends on your individual condition, candidacy,
disease progression, and response to treatment.
Knee TAME™ is typically performed as an outpatient procedure, and patients generally return home the same day. Individual recovery and activity recommendations vary.
Insurance coverage varies by plan. Our team can verify your benefits and discuss your coverage and treatment options.
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