"The Leg Pain Clinic is amazing!! I walked out with less pain than I walked in with! Dr. Anwar is amazing and I love his bedside manner!! I didn't want another knee replacement surgery and now I don't have to get one!!"
Hip Embolization
Minimally invasive hip pain treatment. Reduces inflammation, restores movement. No surgery required.
Treatable without surgery
Understanding your condition
Hip Embolization explained
Hip arthritis is one of the most common causes of chronic hip and groin pain, affecting adults who are often told that hip replacement is their only remaining option. Dr. Anwer, a Stanford Fellowship trained interventional radiologist, offers hip embolization, a minimally invasive alternative that reduces the inflammation causing your pain without surgery. The procedure works by blocking the small blood vessels feeding the inflamed joint lining, interrupting the pain cycle at its source. Most patients notice significant improvement within two to four weeks and walk out the same day.
Most patients return to normal activity within 24 to 48 hours, with full results in 4 to 8 weeks.
Dr. Anwer's approach
Dr. Anwer performs hip embolization as an outpatient procedure using X-ray guidance. A tiny catheter is inserted through a pinhole in the wrist or groin, and microscopic particles are injected to reduce blood flow to the inflamed hip tissue. The procedure takes 45 minutes and you go home the same day.
Treatable without surgery
Key facts
Hip embolization is performed as an outpatient procedure in 45 minutes
Performed under X-ray guidance through a pinhole incision
No general anesthesia and no hospital admission required
Most patients walk out the same day after the procedure
Pain relief typically begins within two to four weeks
Results continue to improve over four to eight weeks
Covered by Medicare and most major insurance plans
Treatment overview
Is this the right treatment for you?
Every patient is different. These four areas will help you understand whether Hip Embolization treatment at LPVI is the right fit.
Who qualifies
Am I a good candidate?
Hip embolization is best suited to patients with hip arthritis confirmed on imaging who have already tried conservative treatment without lasting relief. That usually means anti-inflammatory medication, physical therapy, or cortisone injections that helped for a while but stopped working. Good candidates are people whose hip pain is limiting walking, sleeping, or daily activity, and who want to avoid or delay hip replacement surgery. Patients who are not surgical candidates because of other health conditions are often well served by this approach.
Common symptoms
Symptoms we treat
The most common symptoms we treat are deep hip or groin pain that worsens with walking, standing, or climbing stairs, and stiffness that is worst in the morning or after long periods of sitting. Many patients describe pain that radiates into the thigh or buttock, difficulty putting on shoes and socks, or a catching sensation when rotating the leg. Night pain that interrupts sleep is common in more advanced cases. You do not need every symptom on this list. If hip pain has been limiting what you can do and conservative treatment has not helped, it is worth a conversation.
What to expect
The procedure
Hip embolization is performed as an outpatient procedure under X-ray guidance. Dr. Anwer inserts a thin catheter through a pinhole in the wrist or groin and navigates it to the small arteries supplying the inflamed tissue around the hip joint. Microscopic particles are then injected to reduce blood flow to those specific vessels. There is no surgical incision, no general anesthesia, and no hospital admission. The procedure typically takes about 45 minutes. You rest briefly afterward and go home the same day.
After treatment
Recovery and results
Most patients return to light activity the same day or the day after hip embolization. Mild soreness at the catheter entry site is normal for a day or two. Pain relief is gradual rather than immediate: most patients begin noticing improvement within two to four weeks as inflammation in the joint decreases, with results continuing to develop over four to eight weeks. Individual recovery varies with the severity of arthritis and how long the inflammation has been present. Dr. Anwer will review what to expect in your specific case at your consultation and follows up personally after the procedure
Do any of these sound familiar?
Common symptoms
You do not need all of these. Even two or three are worth discussing with Dr. Anwer at your first consultation.
Hip or groin pain that worsens when walking or climbing stairs
Stiffness in the hip joint, worst in the morning
Pain that radiates into the thigh, buttock, or knee
Difficulty putting on shoes and socks or rotating the leg
Night pain that interrupts sleep or makes turning over difficult
Hip pain that has not responded to injections or physical therapy
Our approach
How Dr. Anwer treats hip embolization
Dr. Anwer performs hip embolization as an outpatient procedure using X-ray guidance. A tiny catheter is inserted through a pinhole in the wrist or groin, and microscopic particles are injected to reduce blood flow to the inflamed hip tissue. The procedure takes 45 minutes and you go home the same day.
Consultation with Dr. Anwer, imaging review and diagnosis
Personalized hip embolization treatment plan, procedure date confirmed
Outpatient hip embolization procedure, 45 minutes, same-day discharge
Follow-up with Dr. Anwer, progress reviewed over the following weeks
Why choose this approach
Minimally invasive vs conventional treatment
Conventional approach
Conventional treatment for hip arthritis usually progresses from anti-inflammatory medication and physical therapy to cortisone injections, and eventually to total hip replacement. These treatments can help, but injections often provide only temporary relief, and hip replacement is major surgery with a significant recovery period and permanent changes to the joint.
- Major surgery or invasive procedure
- General anesthesia required
- Hospital stay of 1 to 5 days
- Recovery of 4 to 12 weeks
Dr. Anwer's approach at LPVI
Dr. Anwer takes a different approach. Rather than managing symptoms or replacing the joint, hip embolization targets the abnormal blood vessels that sustain the inflammation driving your pain. It is performed through a pinhole under X-ray guidance, with no general anesthesia and same-day discharge. For patients who want to avoid or delay hip replacement, or who are not surgical candidates, it offers a genuine option between injections and major surgery.
- Outpatient, no hospital admission
- Light sedation or local anesthesia
- Pinhole incision, no stitches
- Same-day or next-day recovery
Hip pain changes what people are willing to do. Patients stop walking, stop travelling, stop sleeping properly, and often accept it as part of getting older. When someone comes back a few weeks after their procedure and tells me they walked the neighborhood again without stopping, that is why this work matters to me.
Patient stories
What our patients are saying
5.0
Based on Google reviews
"Dr. Bilal very professional and awesome physician. My left knee pain went down from 9 to 3. Front staff, nurses, OR staff all were amazing and very professional."
"Brought my mother in law to get help with her knees. She literally could not walk. After procedure she walked to car with minimal discomfort. Each day is getting better and better. I rate the entire place 10 of 10."
"Fantastic doctor, very thorough, explained everything. Staff is outstanding!!! I first heard of them via Facebook and after looking more into it I saw they can treat shoulder pain too. I feel great after my procedure."
"Doctor Anwer and his staff is totally awesome, they are very kind and respectful. Dr. Anwer does amazing work. I love them all."
"Excellent staff and doctor! Excellent care and caring!!! I would recommend this clinic to anyone who is looking for a caring, professional medical team."
"My husband thinks very highly of the doctor. The entire experience from start to finish was professional and compassionate."
"Sabrena Cummings: Fantastic doctor very thorough explained everything. Staff is outstanding!!!"
"The Leg Pain Clinic is amazing!! I walked out with less pain than I walked in with! Dr. Anwar is amazing and I love his bedside manner!! I didn't want another knee replacement surgery and now I don't have to get one!!"
"Dr. Bilal very professional and awesome physician. My left knee pain went down from 9 to 3. Front staff, nurses, OR staff all were amazing and very professional."
"Brought my mother in law to get help with her knees. She literally could not walk. After procedure she walked to car with minimal discomfort. Each day is getting better and better. I rate the entire place 10 of 10."
"Fantastic doctor, very thorough, explained everything. Staff is outstanding!!! I first heard of them via Facebook and after looking more into it I saw they can treat shoulder pain too. I feel great after my procedure."
"Doctor Anwer and his staff is totally awesome, they are very kind and respectful. Dr. Anwer does amazing work. I love them all."
"Excellent staff and doctor! Excellent care and caring!!! I would recommend this clinic to anyone who is looking for a caring, professional medical team."
"My husband thinks very highly of the doctor. The entire experience from start to finish was professional and compassionate."
"Sabrena Cummings: Fantastic doctor very thorough explained everything. Staff is outstanding!!!"
FAQ
Common questions about Hip Embolization
Hip embolization is covered by most major insurance plans in Houston when hip arthritis has been confirmed and conservative treatments have not provided lasting relief. Our team at LPVI will verify your specific coverage and confirm prior authorization requirements before your consultation. Call us at 713-242-1139 and we will check your benefits and answer any questions about hip arthritis treatment costs.
Recovery from hip embolization at LPVI is quick. Most patients go home the same day and return to light daily activity within 24 to 48 hours. Some mild soreness at the catheter entry site is possible for a day or two. Hip pain and stiffness improve progressively over two to four weeks as the abnormal blood vessels close and inflammation settles, with results continuing to develop over four to eight weeks.
For many patients, yes. Hip embolization is a minimally invasive option for people who want to avoid or delay hip replacement, or who are not candidates for surgery because of other health conditions. It does not reverse cartilage damage that has already occurred, but by reducing the inflammation driving much of the pain, it can significantly improve comfort and mobility. Dr. Anwer will review your imaging and tell you honestly whether he believes you are a good candidate.
No referral is required to book a consultation at LPVI. You can call 713-242-1139 or request a callback and our team will schedule you directly. If you have recent hip imaging, bring it or have it sent to us, as Dr. Anwer reviews every patient's imaging personally before recommending treatment. Same-week appointments are often available at both our Cy-Fair and Gulf Freeway locations.
The procedure is performed under local anesthesia with light sedation, so you remain comfortable throughout. There is no surgical incision, only a pinhole at the wrist or groin where the catheter is inserted. Most patients describe mild pressure rather than pain during the procedure. Afterward, some soreness at the entry site is normal for a day or two and is usually managed with over-the-counter medication.
Results are gradual rather than immediate. Most patients begin noticing improvement in hip pain and stiffness within two to four weeks as inflammation in the joint decreases, with continued progress over the following four to eight weeks. Some patients respond faster and others more gradually, depending on the severity of the arthritis and how long the inflammation has been established. Dr. Anwer follows up personally to track your progress.
Coverage
We accept most major insurance plans
Dr. Bilal Anwer treats hip arthritis at two Houston-area locations: 11240 FM 1960 Rd W Suite 406, Houston TX 77065 in Cy-Fair, and 12825 Gulf Freeway, Houston TX 77034 near Webster and Clear Lake. Patients travel from Cypress, Jersey Village, Spring, Katy, The Woodlands, Tomball, Pearland, Friendswood, League City, Clear Lake, and across Greater Houston for minimally invasive hip arthritis treatment. Most major insurance plans accepted including Medicare, BlueCross BlueShield, Aetna, Cigna, United Healthcare, and Humana. No referral required. Same-day appointments available. Call 713-242-1139 to schedule.
Take the next step
Ready to talk about your hip pain?
Speak with Dr. Anwer about your hip embolization. Same-day appointments available. Most insurance accepted.
This information is not a medical diagnosis. A consultation with Dr. Anwer will confirm your treatment options. Individual results may vary.