Skip to main content

An injectable alternative for osteoarthritis of the knee

There are a couple of alternative medical treatments on the marketplace for osteoarthritis of the knee that I have not yet mentioned on this blog.  They are injectable products that are intended to replace the synovial fluid of the knee joint.  Synovial fluid is an important component in all joints throughout the human body; its purpose is to reduce friction and lubricate the joint, making our every movement a smooth operation. When osteoarthritis sets in, this fluid is lost over time and eventually the bones rub against each other, causing increased pain in the afflicted joint.




Sanofi-Aventis was one of the first companies to enter the marketplace with a solution for this problem.  Synvisc, an injectable product that is intended to replace the synovial fluid of the knee joint, entered the marketplace several years ago.  It can provide relief for up to six months post injection.  The downside is that there are some cautions and warnings, such as the risk of severe allergic reaction to the product.  It is also a fairly expensive product.

More recently, Anika Therapeutics released a newer generation product along the same lines.  It's called Monovisc, marketed in the US by Depuy-Synthes.  This product seems to be less risky as far as allergenicity, but there are some cautions/warnings regarding use of the product. I don't have any cost data on this, but I would predict that this product is also fairly costly.

Most people I have know have had great results with these products, at least in the short term. If nothing else, they can help keep a patient pain free without the use of NSAIDs, acetaminophen, or opiates for some time before they're ready for joint replacement therapy.

Addendum: Here's an interesting article that compares steroid injections to the hyaluronic acid injections mentioned in my post above. From what I understand, osteoarthritis is not an inflammatory process, so I am not sure why a steroid (anti-inflammatory) would even be indicated.  Nonetheless, the article gives interesting insight.

The article concludes by saying:
"As to the changes in response over time, with more rapid pain relief being seen with betamethasone and better function throughout with hyaluronic acid, Davalillo and colleagues wrote, "It has been reported that corticosteroids have a short-term effect on pain but have no effect on function, whereas hyaluronic acid products can provide a more durable response with relief of pain and improvement in function, although the onset of these effects is slower."

Sources: Marketwatch.com;Depuysynthes.com;Synviscone.com;Wikimedia;MedPageToday
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Living with Chronic pain hits the big screen!

Been to the movies lately?  Jennifer Aniston is on the big screen in a recent release titled "Cake." Her character, Claire is a victim of chronic pain...she belongs to a support group, where all of the members are coming to terms with the suicide of one of their members.  Of course, she also takes pain medication and addiction is another of her problems...and of course there's more! I guess I am writing this post just to bring readers' attention to the fact that Hollywood has become aware of the crisis that is chronic pain.  This movie is a testament to that. People that don't have to live with this kind of pain don't fully understand the whole story.  Maybe this movie will shed some light on the issues. Here is the official trailer for the movie: Sources: prweb;NorthJersey.com;YouTube
Post a Comment
Read more

The Multimodal Approach to Pain Management

OK..so if you've been following this blog you will notice that there are a good number of ideas to help manage chronic pain.  You might ask yourself, "Which one of these ideas is best for me ?" I would suggest that you might try any number of these things, depending on your level of ability/disability, health care team recommendations, and your personal interests.  There are a number of reasons for doing this: 1) The patient is in control..with few exceptions, it is your decision what to try/not try and how many different things you want to experiment with at any time. 2) Non drug pain management ideas do not have any of the drug interactions or side effects that medications have.  You may have to set limits or modify activity according to personal circumstances, but usually it does not hurt to try any of them. 3)You usually do not need a prescription for most of the ideas I have described.  There are a few exceptions, such as physical therapy.  There ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Beware Of The Tick!

It's tick season, everyone! And while we all know about Lyme Disease and its lingering effects, a new problem has entered the scene. According to the CDC, the Powassan virus is another tick-borne disease that has recently been recognized. The CDC says symptoms become apparent anywhere from one week to one month after infection. Symptoms include vomiting, weakness, confusion, loss of coordination, problems with speech and seizures. Approximately half of those infected by this virus have permanent neurological symptoms, which can include muscle wasting, problems with memory, and recurrent headaches. Many people who have been infected with Powassan virus required hospitalization and sometimes even respiratory support (i.e., a respirator). Treatment is focused on supportive measures. In the meantime, preventive measures are the best way to avoid Lyme disease, Powassan virus , or any other tick-borne virus.  You can read more about preventive measures by clicking here . Sour...
Post a Comment
Read more