Elbow Artery Embolization for Tennis Elbow

Safety and Efficacy of Elbow Artery Embolization (EAE) for the Treatment of Lateral Epicondylitis

The purpose of this clinical research study is to examine whether embolization treatment of an elbow artery is a safe and effective way to treat elbow pain, specifically pain from tennis elbow. Embozene is a medical device made by Varian marketed in the United States for the treatment of hypervascular tumors and arteriovenous malformations. It consists of thousands of microscopic spheres that are injected into the artery to block the flow of blood to a specific region. One of the causes of pain in the setting of tennis elbow is increased blood flow going to the specific area of pain. In this study, we will investigate an experimental procedure to decrease the blood flow (embolize) to the specific region of the elbow that is causing the pain. This will be done by infusing Embozene particles into the specific blood vessel supplying the area of pain in the elbow. This is an investigational study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of elbow artery embolization (EAE) for the treatment of symptomatic lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow).

Study Overview

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Conditions: Lateral Epicondylitis, Unspecified Elbow
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: Embozene particles

Detailed Description

This is a single-center, prospective, single arm investigational study to evaluate the safety of elbow artery embolization (EAE) for treatment of symptomatic lateral epicondylitis. In addition, the improvement as part of efficacy will be reported. All patients will have either failed or be intolerant to conservative management. Patients will be considered enrolled in the study once they have provided informed consent and have been determined to meet all eligibility criteria. A total of 25 patients will be enrolled in the single treatment arm of the study and will be followed for 24 months.

The study will involve a screening period in which patient eligibility is determined. Once eligibility is confirmed, subjects will undergo EAE with Embozene microspheres (75 micron). Following treatment, subjects will return for follow-up visits at 1 week, 1 month (± 2 weeks), 3 months (± 2 weeks), 6 months (± 4 weeks), 12 months (± 4 weeks), and 24 months (± 4 weeks) post-procedure. At these visits, subjects will undergo a directed physical examination, report any new adverse events (AEs), and complete questionnaires. At 12 months of follow-up, subjects will also undergo elbow MRI and x-ray.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 13
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • California
    • Los Angeles, California, United States, 90095
      • University of California, Los Angeles

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 80 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age ≥ 18 years
• Diagnosis of lateral epicondylitis based on history and physical exam
• Ability to provide informed consent
• Life expectancy greater than 12 months
• Moderate-severe lateral elbow pain as determined by visual analog scale > 4 (based on average severity during physical activity)
• Resistant/failed conservative treatment (e.g. NSAIDS/physical therapy/steroid joint injection) for at least 6 months.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Mild elbow pain as determined by visual analog scale < 4
• Chronic renal insufficiency (serum creatinine >2 mg/dL)
• Allergy to iodinated contrast agents that is not responsive to steroid management
• Active Infection or malignancy
• Prior elbow surgery in the subject elbow
• Uncorrectable bleeding diathesis

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Intervention / Treatment

Experimental: Elbow Artery Embolization (EAE); Patients will undergo EAE with Embozene microspheres (75 micron). The microspheres will be delivered in a saline-contrast medium solution and will be delivered to the arteries supplying the areas of the patient's pain.

Device: Embozene particles; Embozene particles are FDA approved for the embolization of hypervascular tumors and arteriovenous malformations. Several studies have shown excellent safety and efficacy with regards to tumor control and objective response in liver cancer. It has been used extensively for the treatment of symptomatic uterine fibroids, where Embozene embolization of the uterine arteries results in necrosis of uterine fibroids and cessation of abnormal vaginal bleeding. Other proven uses include embolization of arteriovenous malformations and fistulas.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Assess the efficacy of EAE in treating pain measured as percentage of subjects with a greater than 50% decrease in QuickDASH (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand) score at 12 months.	Changes in QuickDASH (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand) score as a measure of efficacy.	12 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Changes in Visual Analog Scan (VAS) as a measure of efficacy	The Faces Pain Scale is a numerical self-report measure of pain intensity developed for children to score the sensation of pain from 0-10. Pictures of 6 cartoon faces ranging from neutral expression of "no pain" (0) to "very much pain" (10). Participant is asked to point to the face that shows how much participant hurts at the time of assessment.	24 months
Change in symptoms as assessed by the QuickDASH scores.	the QuickDASH (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand) uses 11 items to measure physical function and symptoms in people with any or multiple musculoskeletal disorders of the upper limb. each item has 5 response options, ranging from 1 (no difficulty) to 5 (unable) and, from the item scores, scale scores are calculated, ranging from 0 (no disability) to 100 (most severe disability)	24 months
Change in symptoms as assessed by the patient-rates tennis elbow evaluation (PRTEE) scores.	Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation (PRTEE) is a 15-item questionnaire designed to measure forearm pain and disability in patients with lateral epicondylitis. The PRTEE allows patients to rate their levels of tennis elbow pain and disability from 0 to 10 ("0" being no pain, and "10" being worst imaginable).	24 months
Change in imaging	Change in radiographic imaging by elbow MRI and elbow radiograph	12 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Siddharth Padia, MD
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Siddharth Padia, M.D., University of California, Los Angeles

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 21, 2023
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 17, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 5, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): April 13, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 18, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 16, 2026
• Last Verified: June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: embolization; tennis elbow; embozene
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Elbow Tendinopathy; Elbow Injuries; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Muscular Diseases; Wounds and Injuries; Tendon Injuries; Arm Injuries; Tendinopathy; Tennis Elbow
• Other Study ID Numbers: 22-000161

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: Yes
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No