Dr. Nathanson is a board-certified vascular surgeon and Chief of Vascular Surgery at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco. He specializes in minimally invasive, image-guided treatment of vascular disease and chronic joint and tendon pain, including Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE) for knee osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal (MSK) Embolization, also known as Transarterial Embolization (TAE) for musculoskeletal pain.

As Co-founder of the San Francisco Vein and Vascular Institute, Dr. Nathanson provides comprehensive care for arterial and venous conditions, combining advanced vascular expertise with emerging therapies to improve outcomes and reduce the need for surgery.

Conditions and Treatments

Dr. Nathanson treats a broad range of vascular conditions and chronic musculoskeletal pain using minimally invasive and catheter-based treatments when appropriate.

• Knee pain from osteoarthritis treated with Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE)

• Chronic joint and tendon pain treated with Musculoskeletal (MSK) Embolization / Transarterial Embolization (TAE), including selected conditions involving the shoulder, hip, elbow, foot, ankle and tendons

• Peripheral arterial disease (PAD)

• Carotid artery disease

• Aortic aneurysms

• Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)

• Varicose veins and venous insufficiency

• Dialysis access care

• Limb salvage and non-healing wounds

Advanced Training in Musculoskeletal (MSK) Embolization

Dr. Nathanson has advanced training in embolization techniques for chronic musculoskeletal pain, including Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE) for knee osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal (MSK) Embolization, also referred to as Transarterial Embolization (TAE) for musculoskeletal pain.

His training has included work with Yuji Okuno, MD, PhD, in Japan, whose research helped establish transarterial embolization as a treatment for chronic musculoskeletal conditions including knee osteoarthritis and frozen shoulder. Dr. Nathanson applies these techniques to patients with persistent joint and tendon pain who have not found adequate relief with more traditional treatments.

For patients with knee osteoarthritis, Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE) offers a non-surgical option to relieve pain and restore mobility. MSK embolization may also be used to treat chronic pain in the shoulder, hip, and other joints when conservative treatments have not provided relief.

Experience & Leadership

Dr. Nathanson has performed more than 5,000 peripheral angiographic and vascular procedures throughout his career, giving him extensive experience with minimally invasive, catheter-based interventions and complex vascular anatomy.ts.

That experience is directly applicable to advanced embolization procedures such as GAE and MSK embolization, which require precise catheter navigation and selective treatment of small blood vessels.

In addition to serving as Chief of Vascular Surgery at California Pacific Medical Center, Dr. Nathanson is listed by UCSF as Director of the Endovascular Interventions Program at CPMC.

Education & Training

Dr. Nathanson completed advanced training at leading institutions in vascular and endovascular surgery.

• General Surgery Residency: Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School

• Vascular & Endovascular Surgery Fellowship: Arizona Heart Institute

• Vascular Surgery Fellowship: University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)

• Board Certified: Vascular Surgery

Hospital Affiliations

• California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC)

• Saint Francis Memorial Hospital

• St. Mary’s Medical Center

Schedule a Consultation

Dr. Nathanson sees patients for both vascular conditions and chronic joint and tendon pain treated with GAE and MSK embolization. To find out whether a minimally invasive vascular or embolization treatment may be appropriate for your condition, schedule a consultation with San Francisco Vein & Vascular Institute.