Patient stories
People who were exactly where you are now
Most of our patients had injections that stopped working, therapy that didn't hold, and a surgery they were trying to avoid. Here's what happened next, in their words.
Every story on this page is a real patient, filmed or quoted with written authorization. We don't use actors, stock footage, or composite stories. Individual results vary, and no outcome is guaranteed.
Video stories
Short, honest conversations — what daily life was like before, what the day of the procedure was actually like, and where they are now.
“I was scheduled for a replacement.”
A patient with bone-on-bone knee arthritis who wanted to avoid or delay surgery.
Story coming soon
“The surgery went fine. The pain didn't go away.”
A post-knee-replacement patient told there was nothing left to do short of revision surgery.
Story coming soon
“I couldn't sleep on that side for two years.”
An outer-hip pain patient whose steroid injections had stopped helping.
Story coming soon
“It ached all night, every night.”
A frozen shoulder patient who had run out of conservative options after months of therapy.
Story coming soon
“Honestly? I was home for lunch.”
A walk-through of the actual day — arrival, the 30 minutes, and going home about an hour later.
Story coming soon
“I'm walking the dog again.”
A follow-up filmed several months out — what changed, and what didn't.
Story coming soon
We're building this library across our network, so you can hear from patients treated at the office nearest you.
In their own words
What patients have told us
Unedited except for length and initials in place of full names, at the patient's request.
“I want to thank the doctors at APAC for taking such good care of my artery embolization. My leg is so much better & my knee has really improved. The procedure is handled so well; hardly any pain! I was able to drive myself home!”
— L.S. · treated by Monish Merchant, MD
Shoulder pain since age 23 — and two major reconstructions that only made it worse. By 57 he couldn't cast a fishing pole or throw a ball with his kids, and had accepted that this was permanent. After embolization: back to the gym, stretching, and casting again.
— D.B., as told to our care team · treated by Monish Merchant, MD
“Knee is great! Thank you.”
— Jamee C. · treated by Monish Merchant, MD
Individual results vary. Embolization does not work for everyone, and some patients still go on to joint replacement.
Stories by location
As each office contributes patient stories, they'll appear here — so you can hear from people in your own community, treated by the same team you'd see.
Chicagoland
Stories in production
Northwest Indiana
Stories in production
Milwaukee
Stories in production
South Florida
Stories in production
Metro Detroit
Stories in production
What the research shows
Stories are personal. Here's the data behind them.
Individual experiences vary — so it matters what happens across large groups of patients, not just the ones who volunteer to be filmed.
If embolization changed something for you and you'd be willing to help someone else who's still deciding, tell your care team. Participation is completely optional, never affects your care, and always requires written authorization.
Could this work for you?
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