Generic Name

Brand Name

Dosage

Side-effects

Comments

hyaluronan

Hyalgan

Five injections given weekly for five weeks with 2 cc in each injection

1 or 2% of patients may have an inflammatory reaction after the injection with swelling, warmth or redness in the knee.  In patients who are not allergic to chickens or eggs, any systemic side-effects would be extraordinarily rare

Hyaluronan has a molecular weight of under one million and currently is indicated in osteoarthritis but not inflammatory arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis

Hylan G-F 20

Synvisc

Three injections in the knee given one week apart X 3

1 or 2% of patients may have post-injection inflammatory reaction with swelling in the joint or with heat and redness and pain.  There is no significant incidence of systemic side-effects in patients who are not allergic to the preparation

Synvisc may give improvement that lasts an average of eight to nine months on up to eighteen months in some cases.  It has less efficacy in patients who are bone against bone in the knee but still may allow postponement of surgery especially in those patients who are not surgical candidates because of other medical illnesses