HYALGAN can provide relief of pain due to osteoarthritis of the knee. It is used for patients who do not get adequate relief from simple painkillers, exercise, and physical therapy. The length of pain relief may vary based on your individual response. Ask your doctor if HYALGAN is right for you.

HYALGAN is given in your doctor's office and is injected directly into the knee. A treatment cycle consists of 5 injections given at weekly intervals. This course of treatment can provide pain relief for up to 26 weeks. There are reports in literature of some patients experiencing benefits beyond 26 weeks.

Another option is a 3-injection treatment cycle. Some patients may experience benefit with 3 injections given at weekly intervals. This has been noted in studies reported in the literature in which patients treated with 3 injections were followed for 60 days.

A study involving 495 patients with knee pain due to osteoarthritis was performed in the United States. This study investigated the safety and effectiveness of HYALGAN. The patients were placed in one of three groups. One group was given an injection of HYALGAN into one knee joint once a week for 5 weeks. The second group was given an injection of salt water into one knee joint once a week for 5 weeks. The third group received two naproxen tablets every day for 6 months. Joint pain was measured in all patients throughout the 6 months. Patients with osteoarthritic knee joint pain who did not get relief from simple pain killers or from exercise and physical therapy got pain relief from the HYALGAN injections into the knee joint. Pain relief was not seen in some patients until after the fifth injection.

Questions about HYALGAN efficacy and safety

How soon will I experience relief?
Pain relief varies from patient to patient and may depend on the severity of the pain. Some patients may experience relief within a week of the first injection. In clinical studies, the majority of patients noticed a difference within one week following the third injection; however, pain relief was not seen in some patients until after the fifth injection.

How long will the results last?
The majority of patients experience months of pain relief. Results vary from patient to patient. In a clinical study in which patients received 5 weekly injections of HYALGAN, HYALGAN was shown to effectively relieve pain at 26 weeks. Since patients were not followed beyond 26 weeks, it is unknown how long pain relief continued. There are published clinical reports of some patients experiencing benefit beyond 26 weeks.

Does the injection hurt?
As with any injection, you may feel temporary minor pain at the injection site. To help make your HYALGAN injection as comfortable as possible, your doctor may inject a local anesthetic beforehand.

What are the common side effects associated with HYALGAN therapy?
Again, as with any injection, you may experience some local pain and/or swelling. The most common side effects of HYALGAN therapy are injection-site-pain, swelling, heat and/or redness, rash, itching, or bruising around the joint. Any side effects are generally mild and usually do not last long. HYALGAN has been in clinical use for over 15 years, and more than 13 million injections have been given. Reported cases of serious allergic reactions with HYALGAN have been very rare.

Are there reasons why I shouldn't take HYALGAN?
You should not take this product if you have had any previous allergic reaction to HYALGAN or other medications containing hyaluronan. You should not have an injection into the knee if you have an infection or skin disease in the area of the injection site.

Can I continue taking my other medications if I receive HYALGAN?
You should talk with your doctor about your specific medications; however, HYALGAN is not known to interact with drugs taken orally.

What if I need another course of therapy?
Osteoarthritis cannot be cured, and if pain returns, you may want to discuss another series of HYALGAN treatment with your doctor. Repeat treatment was shown to be well tolerated in a 30-month study in which 75 patients recived a 5-injection course of HYALGAN every 6 months.