Description
Hyalgan
But Hyalgan for your patients so that they can have a trustworthy product to use for their chronic pain caused by osteoarthritis. Being the most common kind of arthritis, OA has plagued millions of people all over the world, and despite some of the non-invasive solutions showing promise, there are cases where these simply don’t help enough. With Hyalgan, your patient might just find the relief that they’ve been looking for.
What Makes a Good Candidate?
Technically, any patient is legally able to make use of this product as long as they are already 18 years old and above. However, even if the patient does suffer osteoarthritis, it doesn’t mean this solution will be the best one for them considering that this was specifically developed for use on patients who have tried basic analgesics or regular nonpharmacologic therapies, and still find themselves in pain. This means Hyalgan is to be used only after trying those remedies and finding them to be lacking.
Areas Treated with Hyalgan
The solution targets joints that have chronic pain due to the rubbing together of the bones, degrading their structure and causing discomfort. Hyalgan is specifically used on the knee joint, as other common target joints for osteoarthritis pain have yet to have fully established effectivity and safety studies.
How does Hyalgan work?
Hyaluronic acid is a natural complex sugar which the body naturally produces, but over time will degrade and lose some degree of its effects and production. Hyalgan is based on this compound, and it has a molecular weight of 500k-730k Daltons. This is a non-pyrogenic, sterile solution that is meant to be injected as an intra-articular injection into areas of the body where joint pain caused by osteoarthritis is felt.
Although this product is prescribed for use usually when other pharmaceutical options have also been tried, it can be used alongside additional prescription pain relievers if needed.
Treatment Details
Hyalgan is recommended by the manufacturer to be administered only by a medical professional with the necessary experience and training to apply medical devices into the joints. The solution is administered via intra-articular injection, and the listed treatment cycle is 5 injections spaced at 1 week apart each. There have also been cases wherein it only took 3 injections with 1-week intervals for the patients to experience beneficial effects.
A strict aseptic administration technique should be used by the doctor, and concomitantly using disinfectants with quaternary ammonium salts for skin prep is heavily discouraged as hyaluronic acid has been known to precipitate in their presence. If an anesthetic is required or requested for the patient’s comfort, lidocaine or similar products are recommended.
If there is joint effusion present during treatment, it should be removed before injecting Hyalgan. Different needles should be used for both procedures, and the needle should be a 20G which is then injected into the joint with the full 2ml of the vial being used on one joint. For bilateral treatments, two vials should be used for each knee.
How Long Does Hyalgan Last?
The actual duration of the treatment’s effects will vary per case as it is determined by physiology and lifestyle. Generally speaking, though, the product is known to last for as long as 6 months. Any further treatment or maintenance appointments will be up to the doctor’s discretion.
Safety Information
Although it has been mentioned that there were cases where 3 injections already showed results for some patients, its actual effectiveness has yet to be established. Hyalgan has also not been assured to work or be safe for use in other joints aside from the knee. Using the solution concomitantly with separate intra-articular injectables have not been established, and this treatment should also be very cautiously injected if used on patients with known allergies to avian feathers, proteins, or eggs. Pregnant or nursing women were not intended to use this product, and the solution’s safety and effectiveness has not been demonstrated in children. Any patients with hypersensitivity or allergies to any of the hyaluronate preparations should not use Hyalgan, and intra-articular injections are also contraindicated if infection or other skin diseases in the correction area is observed.
Other Side Effects
- Gastrointestinal complaints
- Injection site pain
- Knee effusion
- Local skin reactions
- Pruritus
- Headache
Recovery Time
Any prolonged weight-bearing activities such as standing, jogging, or walking for over an hour should be avoided for at least 48 hours after injection. Any other strenuous activity is also advised against to ensure that the effects of the treatment last as long as possible and appear early.
Cost of Hyalgan
On average, the 10mg/ml solution costs around $196. The box contains one vial/pre-filled syringe.
Bottom Line
Osteoarthritis can be a very difficult and painful chronic illness, and Hyalgan is a product that patients can use to be relieved of it. With its use, even simply walking for too long will no longer be painful, and they can live their lives normally again.
We guarantee our clients savings when purchasing from us, as well as assured expediency and safety during the product’s delivery.
