At a glance
- Anaesthetic
- Local anaesthetic
- Procedure time
- About 1 hour
- Hospital stay
- Day stay
- Back to light activity
- Within a few days
- Where
- St George’s Hospital, Strowan
Typical for most people. Your consultant will tell you what to expect in your case.
On this page
What is TAME?
Transarterial microembolisation (TAME) is a minimally invasive, day-stay procedure for chronic pain, particularly in joints and tendons. It targets one of the causes of that pain: tiny, abnormal blood vessels that form because of inflammation.
Why these vessels matter
In chronic pain from conditions such as plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy or osteoarthritis, inflammation often leads to the growth of new, abnormal blood vessels (called neovascularisation) and nerves alongside them. These new structures are thought to be an important source of pain.
How TAME helps
TAME selectively blocks these tiny, abnormal blood vessels. Microscopic particles (microspheres) are injected into the arteries supplying the painful area. They block the problem vessels, with the aim of reducing inflammation and pain, while normal blood flow to the surrounding tissue is kept.
The procedure, step by step
TAME is done as a day procedure, so you go home the same day.
- Preparation. You have a local anaesthetic at the access site, usually the wrist or groin, and a thin catheter (a small, hollow tube) is inserted into an artery.
- Guiding the catheter. Using live X-ray imaging (fluoroscopy), the catheter is guided to the painful area, such as the shoulder, hip or ankle.
- Embolisation. Microscopic particles are injected. They travel with the blood flow and lodge in the small, abnormal blood vessels, blocking them.
- Finishing. The catheter is removed and a small dressing is applied. The procedure usually takes about an hour.
Conditions treated with TAME
TAME may help chronic pain in several parts of the body, including:
- Shoulder: frozen shoulder, rotator cuff tendinopathy, trapezius myalgia
- Elbow: tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis), golfer’s elbow (medial epicondylitis)
- Wrist and hand: De Quervain’s tenosynovitis, base-of-thumb (CMC) arthritis, TFCC injury, hand osteoarthritis
- Hip: osteoarthritis, hip bursitis, greater trochanteric pain syndrome
- Knee: osteoarthritis, jumper’s knee (patellar tendinitis)
- Ankle and foot: Achilles tendinopathy, plantar fasciitis
- Back: chronic back pain from facet joint arthropathy
- Rheumatoid arthritis: selected cases, for pain relief
What to expect from TAME
- Minimally invasive: no incision and no general anaesthetic
- Targeted: it treats the abnormal vessels linked to the pain
- Quick recovery: most people return to daily activities within a few days
- Day stay: you go home the same day
- The evidence: studies report meaningful pain relief for many patients, but TAME is still an emerging treatment and results vary from person to person
More in Joint & tendon pain
- Knee osteoarthritis pain Aching, stiff knees from osteoarthritis, treated with genicular artery embolisation (GAE)
- Hip pain Pain on the outside of the hip or from hip arthritis, treated with TAME
- Shoulder pain Frozen shoulder and long-standing shoulder tendon pain, treated with TAME
- Elbow pain Tennis or golfer’s elbow that hasn’t settled, treated with TAME
- Achilles tendon pain Pain at the back of the heel from Achilles tendinopathy, treated with TAME
- Plantar fasciitis Heel pain under the foot that has lasted for months, treated with TAME
- Who is suitable for TAME The tendon and joint conditions that may be considered for TAME