General Information

Hyaluronic Acids, which are sold as Supartz, Hyalgan, Synvisc, Orthovisc and Euflexxa are joint fluid therapies approved for the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA) in the knee, in patients who have responded poorly to other therapies, but do NOT need or are NOT ready for knee surgery. These other therapies may have included analgesics (ie: Tylenol, Advil, pain medications, etc), physical therapy, alternative therapies (ie: acupuncture, supplements, etc), and even corticosteroids.

These drugs are a clear, viscous liquid (Hyaluronic Acid) that is injected into the knee joint. It is designed to provide long-term pain relief by supplementing the body's natural synovial fluid which is degraded (or broken down) due to OA. The various formulations are administered by injection once a week for a total of three to five injections (depending on the formulation used).

There are an estimated 25 million individuals suffering from OA in the United States and are more active than ever before. Some people estimate that osteoarthritis of the knee will surpass heart disease as the leading medical problem in the United States over the next decade, and this number increases every year as people are living longer than ever before. A person's joints - most commonly the hands, knees, and hips are affected by degeneration that causes them to be painful and sometimes swollen.

Clinical Results

The effectiveness of these drugs have been extensively studied in patients suffering from OA in the knee in USA, Europe, and Japan. Since its introduction in Japan in 1987, over 100 million successful Supartz injections have been administered.

Mechanism of Action

Viscous hyaluronate is similar to the body's natural synovial fluid, which helps joints function by acting as a lubricant, shock absorber, and analgesic.

Side Effects

Adverse events associated with the use of sodium hyaluronate may include (but are not limited to) the following:

• joint pain
• injection site reaction (swelling, redness, heat)
• mild diarrhea
• headache
• nausea

Notify your physician if you have a history of allergies to hyaluronan preparations, joint infections or skin infections at the injection site, allergies to bird feathers/eggs, and poultry.

Should you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact our office. We will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.

Phone: (503) 885-8008