Plantar Fasciitis Embolization (PFE) is a new, minimally invasive treatment option for patients seeking non-surgical relief from chronic heel pain. The procedure is meant for people who have not responded to non-invasive and conservative treatments for their chronic plantar fasciitis.

Understanding Chronic Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is a common cause of heel pain. The pain results from inflammation in the plantar fascia, a band of connective tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot, from the heel to the ball of the foot. Initially, patients experience symptoms such as heel pain that’s worst when they first get out of bed in the morning, that tends to improve throughout the day. Without treatment, or when patients fail to respond to treatments such as stretching, bracing, injections or shockwave therapy, the pain can become chronic—causing you discomfort every day, and not just first thing in the morning.

Causes

Plantar fasciitis typically responds to the conservative treatments mentioned above. However, even with intervention, some patients fail to find pain relief, resulting in chronic pain. And, while we don’t know exactly why this happens, this study suggests plantar fasciitis is more likely to become chronic in patients with vascularization (development of new blood vessels) within or thickening of the inflamed connective tissue.

Choosing PFE

For patients with chronic plantar fasciitis, PFE treatment can provide non-surgical pain relief by addressing one of the root causes of discomfort—abnormal blood flow to the plantar fascia. With this procedure, our interventional radiologists use ultrasound guidance to access the vessel feeding blood to your plantar fascia. Then, they deposit embolic material to block that blood flow, reducing painful inflammation and helping you walk comfortably once again—all without surgery or the need for overnight hospital stays.

Who is a Candidate for Plantar Fasciitis Embolization?

Good PFE candidates have:

• Been dealing with chronic heel pain for at least three months
• Tried and failed to find relief from treatments such as physical therapy, custom orthotics, shockwave therapy or injections
• To find relief without surgery
• A preference for avoiding hospital stays

Are you ready to put heel pain behind you, without invasive surgery or an extended recovery period? We’re here to help. Contact our Georgia Endovascular team to request a consultation and learn if you are a candidate for Plantar Fasciitis Embolization.