SYNVISC®

Synvisc® is an injectable gel made of sodium hyaluronate, used to lubricate knee joints of osteoarthritis sufferers. Also known as hylan G-F 20, this product is an injectable osteoarthritis treatment made of sodium hyaluronate sourced from chicken combs. Sodium hyaluronate is a natural substance found throughout body tissues, and it is a component of the synovial fluid that normally fills the knee joint to provide lubrication and a cushion. This synovial fluid gradually breaks down, along with cartilage, leaving the joint no cushion. You can inject Synvisc® into your patient’s knee or other joint to provide a cushion which leads to relief from osteoarthritis symptoms such as pain and stiffness. This can help replace or supplement other osteoarthritis treatments such as pain medication, physiotherapy, exercise, and surgery.

Osteoarthritis is the degradation of cartilage within the knee or other joints. With less cartilage as well as less and lower quality synovial fluid protecting the knee joint, it is more prone to friction as the patient moves, which causes inflammation, pain, and stiffness. By injecting Synvisc® into your patient’s knee joint, you are providing a lubricant and shock absorber to the joint. The sodium hyaluronate in it is similar to the knee’s natural synovial fluid, so your patient is able to move their joint with less friction, causing less pain and inflammation.

You should inject Synvisc® directly into the space in your patient’s knee joint. While it is meant for treating knees, Synvisc® can be helpful for other joints experiencing osteoarthritis.

Common side effects include injection site pain, knee pain, and swelling of the knee. Rare side effects of it injections could include skin itching, skin rash, knee joint infection, dizziness, headache, nausea, face flushing and swelling, calf cramps, muscle pain, rapid heartbeat, and pain on one side of the body along with anxiety, tiredness, and nausea. Rarely, Synvisc® could cause an allergic reaction including difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, and hives, and since it is made of hyaluronic acid from chicken combs, patients who are allergic to bird products such as feathers and eggs should not receive it.

These include applying to patients with blood clots, leg circulation problems, knee infection, and skin infection at the knee. It is not known what effect this product has on pregnant or nursing women. For about forty-eight hours after injecting it, your patients should not perform strenuous activities such as jogging, high-impact sports, or standing for longer than an hour at a time.

You should give apply Synvisc® in a set of three treatments a week apart. Some patients may experience some osteoarthritis relief after their first injection, but others may only notice a difference after the full set of three injections. Many patients experience maximum relief from their osteoarthritis symptoms after about a month. Most patients should continue to have reduced osteoarthritis symptoms for about six months, and at that time, you can give them another set of Synvisc® injections.