Surgical Grand Rounds - Professor Yuji Okuno

Biography

I am an interventional radiologist and the founder and Chief Director of the Okuno Clinic in Tokyo, Japan. After completing my radiology training, I engaged in both basic and clinical research for several years. My initial research at Keio University in Tokyo focused on vascular biology and pathological angiogenesis. Early in my career as an interventional radiologist, I developed a strong interest in exploring whether embolization could offer a new approach to effectively reduce chronic inflammation and alleviate pain. I later successfully introduced transarterial embolization for the treatment of chronic musculoskeletal disorders, such as knee osteoarthritis (OA) and frozen shoulder. I was the first to report its safety and effectiveness through clinical research. I have authored and co-authored 20 peer-reviewed publications on embolization for musculoskeletal disorders, particularly superselective genicular artery embolization (GAE) for knee OA. These studies demonstrated the safety and efficacy of this innovative technique, resulting in significant and sustained pain relief, findings that have since been confirmed by other researchers.