Viscosupplementation Treatment for Knee Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis of the knee is one of the leading causes of disability in the World.
It grows gradually and the pain it causes intensifies after some time.
There are numerous treatment alternatives accessible to enable individuals to manage pain and remain dynamic.
In its early stages, arthritis of the knee is treated with nonsurgical methods
Your doctor may recommend a range of treatments, including:
Changes in activity level
Weight loss
Pain relieving medications like NSAIDS
Physical therapy
Corticosteroid injections
Another treatment alternative is a method called Viscosupplementation.
In the event that you have attempted all other nonsurgical treatment techniques and your pain continues to limit your activities
Viscosupplementation might be a choice.
In this procedure, a gel-like fluid called hyaluronic acid is injected into the knee joint.
Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance found in the synovial fluid surrounding joints.
It acts as a lubricant to enable bones to move smoothly over each other and as a shock absorber for joint loads.
People with osteoarthritis have a lower concentration of hyaluronic acid in their joints.
The theory is that adding hyaluronic acid to the arthritic joint will facilitate movement and reduce pain.
PROCEDURE
Depending on the product used, you will receive one to five shots over several weeks.
During the procedure, if there is any swelling in your knee, your doctor will remove (aspirate) the excess fluids before injecting the hyaluronic acid.
For the first 48 hours after the shot, you should avoid excessive weight bearing on the leg, such as standing for long periods, jogging or heavy lifting.
SIDE EFFECTS
You may notice a local reaction, such as pain, warmth, and slight swelling immediately after the shot.
These symptoms generally do not last long. You may want to apply an ice pack to help ease them.
COMPLICATIONS
Rarely, patients may develop a local allergy-like reaction and the knee may become full of fluid, red, warm, and painful.
Rare Complications:
Infection and bleeding
If this occurs, contact your doctor immediately.
OUTCOMES
As is noted above, some patients will not be helped by viscosupplementation.
If the injections are effective they may be repeated after a period of time, usually 6 months.
Although some patients report relief of arthritis symptoms with viscosupplementation, the procedure has never been shown to reverse the arthritic process or re-grow cartilage.
It has been proposed that viscosupplementation is most effective if the arthritis is in its early stages.
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