Maryland: (301) 276-5670 · Virginia: (540) 861-1961
Frozen shoulder · Arthritis · Rotator cuff · Nighttime shoulder pain
Lasting shoulder relief —
without surgery
A minimally invasive, outpatient treatment performed by board-certified interventional radiologists. Most patients are done in under an hour and back to normal in a day or two.
Serving Maryland & Virginia · Same-week consultations available
YOU’VE TRIED EVERYTHING
Still in pain after PT, injections, and waiting it out?
If physical therapy, cortisone shots, anti-inflammatories, and simply giving it time haven’t fixed your shoulder, you still have options — and surgery isn’t the only one.
Shoulder embolization treats the root of chronic shoulder pain through an entry point smaller than a pencil tip. No large incisions. No hospital stay. No months of downtime.
Request an appointment online today or call one of our Virginia or Maryland locations »
IN PLAIN TERMS
What is shoulder embolization?
It’s an image-guided procedure performed by an interventional radiologist (IR) — a physician who treats conditions through the blood vessels instead of open surgery.
Through a tiny access point in your wrist or groin, your doctor guides a thin catheter to the small, overgrown blood vessels feeding the inflamed tissue in your shoulder. Gently closing off those vessels calms the inflammation that drives your pain and stiffness — so you can reach, sleep, and move again.
The whole procedure usually takes under an hour, and you go home the same day.
Who it helps: people with frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) and chronic rotator cuff pain (tendinopathy) without a full tear.
Request an appointment online today or call one of our Virginia or Maryland locations »
Shoulder conditions we treat
Embolization can calm the chronic pain and inflammation behind several common shoulder problems including:
- Frozen shoulder: Adhesive capsulitis — stiffness and pain that limit how far you can reach or rotate.
- Shoulder arthritis: Ongoing ache and inflammation from wear in the joint.
- Chronic rotator cuff pain: Tendinopathy without a full tear that hasn’t healed with rest or PT.
- Nighttime shoulder pain: A deep ache that disrupts your sleep and won’t settle.
- Persistent shoulder pain: Pain lasting 6+ months despite conservative treatment.
Request an appointment online today or call one of our Virginia or Maryland locations »
WHY PATIENTS CHOOSE IT
A simpler path to relief
No general anesthesia
Done with local numbing and light sedation as needed.
Home the same day
An outpatient procedure — no overnight hospital stay.
Under an hour
Most treatments are completed in 60 minutes or less.
Quick recovery
Most people are back to normal in 24–48 hours.
No large incisions
A pinhole entry point instead of open surgery.
Avoid surgery
An option for those who’d rather not — or can’t — have surgery.
FIND OUT IN MINUTES
Could this be right for you?
You may be a candidate for shoulder embolization if:
✓ Your shoulder pain has lasted more than 6 months
✓ Physical therapy, injections, or medications haven’t given lasting relief
✓ You have frozen shoulder or chronic rotator cuff pain without a full tear
✓ You’d like to avoid surgery, or aren’t an ideal surgical candidate
An MRI or a prior orthopedic evaluation is helpful, but not required to get started. The fastest way to know for sure is a quick consultation.
WHAT TO EXPECT
From first call to relief
Consultation
We review your symptoms and any imaging to confirm you’re a candidate and answer your questions.
The procedure
A minimally invasive, image-guided treatment — typically under an hour, with no general anesthesia.
Same-day home
You recover at home, with most people back to normal activities within 24–48 hours.
Move freely again
In published research, patients reported less pain and improved range of motion after shoulder embolization.
EXPERIENCE MATTERS
You’ll be in nationally recognized hands
Our board-certified vascular & interventional physicians are among the most highly trained doctors in the country. Each completed 13+ years of education and training — including a 2–3 year subspecialty fellowship in Vascular & Interventional Radiology — and each has been in clinical practice for 10+ years, a depth of experience most competitors simply can’t match.
13+
years of education & training
10+
years in clinical practice
100%
board-certified specialists
4
published, nationally recognized doctors
Dr. Alex Kim
Co-founder & Medical Director · Vascular & Interventional Radiologist
- A nationally recognized leader in minimally invasive treatment who has led clinical trials and published widely; named to Washingtonian and Northern Virginia Magazine “Best Docs” for multiple years.
- 20+ years of clinical experience
Dr. Emmett Lynskey III
Co-founder & Chief Medical Officer · Vascular & Interventional Radiologist
- Featured in The New York Times for his expertise on vascular causes of chronic pelvic pain- read the article
- Served as Assistant Professor at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, training the next generation of interventional radiologists
Dr. Adam Guyer
Vascular & Interventional Radiologist
- Founder of NVP’s Roanoke office to bring hospital-grade minimally invasive care to Southwest Virginia
- 14+ years of experience and is published in peer-reviewed journals, along with being a national conference speaker
Dr. Avinash Pillutla
Vascular & Interventional Radiologist
- Award-winning physician, including the recipient of the Bon Secours Richmond Market Physician Quality Award and the M. Pinson Neal Jr., MD Outstanding Resident Award
- Contributed to numerous publications and national presentations
Request your consultation
Tell us a little about yourself and we’ll reach out to schedule. It takes about a minute.
We respect your privacy. Your information is used only to contact you about your care.
or call us now
📞 Maryland · (301) 276-5670
📞 Virginia · (540) 861-1961
COMMON QUESTIONS
What patients ask us
No. There’s no scalpel, no large incision, and no general anesthesia. The treatment is performed through a pinhole-sized entry point using image guidance.
The procedure is done with local numbing and light sedation as needed. Most patients tolerate it well and go home the same day.
Most people are back to their normal activities within 24–48 hours.
It’s minimally invasive, and serious complications are expected to be very rare. As with any medical procedure, some risk exists — your doctor will review everything with you during your consultation.
Neither is required to get started. Prior imaging or an orthopedic evaluation is helpful if you have it, but you can begin with a simple consultation.
Coverage varies by plan. Our team can help you check your benefits when you call to schedule.
Ready to move without pain?
Find out whether shoulder embolization is right for you. Same-week consultations available.
Call Maryland: (301) 276-5670 »
Call Virginia: (540) 861-1961 »
National Vascular Physicians
Interventional radiology care across Maryland & Virginia.
Maryland: (301) 276-5670 · Virginia: (540) 861-1961
Individual results vary. This page is for general information and is not medical advice. A consultation with a physician is required to determine whether you are a candidate for treatment.