Frozen shoulder and chronic shoulder pain can stall your daily routine for months. Soris Pain & Vascular Institute performs shoulder artery embolization to block the abnormal blood vessels feeding joint inflammation, delivering relief through a single catheter puncture.
SAE is an outpatient procedure. Most patients go home within hours.
Soris Pain & Vascular Institute
Shoulder artery embolization (SAE) is a catheter-based procedure that selectively occludes the abnormal neovasculature within the inflamed shoulder capsule, reducing the blood-borne inflammatory mediators responsible for adhesive capsulitis and chronic glenohumeral joint pain.
Our physicians thread a microcatheter from a small puncture in the wrist or groin artery to the branches supplying the shoulder. Fluoroscopic guidance maps the target vessels in real time.
Microscopic embolic particles are injected to block the abnormal feeders. Normal blood supply to the rotator cuff and deltoid muscle remains intact through collateral pathways.
The procedure takes approximately 60 to 90 minutes under local anesthesia, with sedation available if needed.
Procedure
Our team reviews your shoulder MRI, range-of-motion measurements, and prior treatment history. Soris Pain & Vascular Institute confirms that conservative approaches including physical therapy and corticosteroid injections have been tried.
You recline on the procedure table. Local anesthetic numbs the access site, and light sedation is available if needed. Patients may feel mild warmth near the shoulder as particles are delivered.
A small bandage covers the catheter puncture. No sling or immobilization is required. Soris Pain & Vascular Institute schedules follow-up visits at 4 weeks and 3 months.
Improvement in pain and range of motion develops gradually over two to six weeks.
Benefits
SAE targets the abnormal blood vessels that maintain the inflammatory cycle inside the shoulder capsule. Traditional treatments manage symptoms; SAE interrupts the source.
The procedure uses a single needle puncture. No anchors, screws, or sutures are placed in the shoulder joint.
Soris Pain & Vascular Institute performs SAE at our outpatient facilities. Patients check in, complete the procedure, and return home in a single visit.
Patients recovering from frozen shoulder often regain range of motion as inflammation subsides. Many resume overhead activities within weeks.
Conditions Treated with SAE
SAE is indicated for patients with frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) and chronic inflammatory shoulder pain that has not responded to at least three months of conservative management.
Candidates include patients who want to avoid open arthroscopic surgery or who have medical conditions that increase anesthesia risk.
Collaboration
Our physicians perform shoulder artery embolization at our clinics. Their musculoskeletal embolization training includes direct collaboration with international specialists.
Our physicians provide pre-procedure assessment and post-procedure follow-up.
FAQ
Published case series report sustained pain reduction at 12 months in the majority of treated patients. Soris Pain & Vascular Institute monitors your progress at scheduled follow-up appointments.
Reference: Fernández Martínez AM, Cordero Carnicero P, Pérez Álvarez A, et al. Clinical Outcomes of Shoulder Artery Embolization for Adhesive Capsulitis. Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol. 2025;48(12):1759-1768.
Patients with adhesive capsulitis frequently regain range of motion as the inflammatory process resolves. The degree of improvement depends on the severity and duration of the condition before treatment.
Coverage varies by carrier and plan. Our front-office team verifies your benefits before scheduling. Soris Pain & Vascular Institute accepts most major insurance plans.
Board-certified physicians bringing hospital-level, minimally invasive interventional procedures to outpatient centers.
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