THURSDAY, Jan. 21 (HealthDay News) -- In patients with early osteoarthritis and a symptomatic meniscus tear, those who receive sodium hyaluronate injections after knee arthroscopy may experience more pain relief and functional recovery than those treated with arthroscopy alone, according to a study in the December issue of the American Journal of Orthopedics.
Geoffrey Westrich, M.D., of the Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York City, and colleagues randomly assigned 46 patients to either receive three sodium hyaluronate injections or no injections after surgery.
Compared to the arthroscopy-alone group, the researchers found that the injection group had decreased pain at three months and more flexion at six months. They also found that the injection group was more likely have no tenderness, pain on motion, or crepitus at three and six months.
"The combination of arthroscopic surgery and hyaluronan product injection may have the potential to yield better outcomes than either treatment on its own," the authors conclude. "Longer follow-up would be necessary to determine if the combination of knee arthroscopy and sodium hyaluronate injections has the potential to further slow the advance of osteoarthritis in addition to providing more pain relief and functional ability than knee arthroscopy alone."
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
