Arthrosamid knee injection

Prices and locations

Shepton Mallet

Shepton Mallet

Procedure	Price
Arthrosamid knee injection	£2969

See all prices Select location See all locations

Shepton Mallet

Procedure	Price
Arthrosamid knee injection	£2969

See all prices Select location See all locations

What is Arthrosamid and how does it work?

Arthrosamid is a hydrogel injection administered using ultrasound guidance. It is injected into the knee to try to improve the pain of osteoarthritis. The hydrogel itself does not degrade and therefore it provides long-lasting relief and improvements to your mobility and quality of life. Past patients have reported significant reductions in their pain symptoms by the fourth week after their injection, with this level of pain relief maintained for up to a year.

Arthrosamid thickens the synovial lining membrane and fluid within the knee joint, providing additional cushioning. It is administered as a single injection and, unlike other compounds such as steroids which are injected into the knee, does not dissolve or get re-absorbed by the body. Instead, it remains as essentially a foreign material in the knee. For this reason, you will be given antibiotics before the procedure, to reduce the chance of infection.

With that said, Arthrosamid is not a cure for arthritis and will not prevent the natural history of arthritis to gradually get worse over time but may lessen the amount of pain. Stiffness and discomfort that the arthritis causes you on a day-to-day basis.

What are the benefits of Arthrosamid knee injections?

The benefits of these injections are:

• reduction in pain levels
• improved knee function

Some patients may need to wait a few weeks for the procedure to take full effect. Around three quarters of past patients reported a positive outcome from these injections.

What are the risks of Arthrosamid knee injections?

There is a small risk of infection, bleeding, or pain in the the knee joint. In the event of infection in the knee joint, surgery may be required to wash it out.

Other risks include:

• injection being ineffective or effectiveness being limited
• infection
• allergic reaction (to antibiotics, anaesthesia or the hydrogel)
• pain from the injection itself (causing mild swelling)
• swelling of Baker’s cyst.

Not everyone is a suitable candidate for Arthrosamid knee injections. You should avoid treatment if you have any of the following:

• an infection near the injection site
• a temperature
• haemophilia or are taking anticoagulant medication
• have had a knee arthroscopy in the last six months.

Alternative treatments

While Arthrosamid injections can be effective, there are alternative methods of reducing knee pain that you may wish to explore. These may include:

• physio
• adjusting and adapting your exercise routine
• managing your weight
• analgesia
• Hyaluronic, steroid, or platelet rich plasma injections
• wearing supports or mechanical aids.

Can I get referred for Arthrosamid knee injections?

Referrals for Arthrosamid knee injections are made by your consultant. The aim is to treat symptoms in your affected joint to reduce your level of pain and function. He or she will discuss the treatment with you and help with any concerns or worries you may have. This conversation forms part of your informed consent prior to the treatment.

Preparing for Arthrosamid knee injection

You won’t be able to drive yourself home after the injection, so you will need to arrange for transport.

A couple of hours before your injection, you will be asked to take antibiotics (usually in tablet form). This is to make sure that you have enough time to absorb them into your bloodstream and provides the best chance of preventing infection.

You will be given specific instructions depending on the type of antibiotic you are prescribed by your pharmacist.

While there is no specific preparation for the injection, you must let your consultant know if you are taking any of the following medications:

• Warfarin
• Aspirin
• Clopidogrel (Plavix)
• Apixaban (Eliquis)
• Dabigatran (Pradaxa)
• Rivaroxaban (Xarelto)
• Steroids (e.g. Prednisolone – currently or in the last 6 months)
• allergies to penicillin or other antibiotics
• diabetes medication.

You may be advised to temporarily stop taking some medications prior to the injection. Your consultant will advise on this.

You will also need to let your consultant know about any of the following:

• infections anywhere in your body
• skin conditions (e.g. tendency to keloid scarring or soft tissue disorders)
• feeling unwell or are due to have any surgery in the area to be injected
• have recently had an injection in the same joint or have an implant within the joint
• pregnancy, trying to conceive, or breast feeding
• cancer or receiving treatment for cancer
• liver disease, pancreatitis, haemophilia, blood clots, high blood pressure, heart disease, metabolic disease
• have suffered recent trauma to the area to be injected.

During the procedure

Arthrosamid injections are carried out in our clinical treatment rooms. During the procedure, you’ll be asked to sit or lie on a hospital couch. The doctor will then clean your skin with an antiseptic solution (this might feel a little cold!). A local anaesthetic will be then injected with a fine needle which may sting initially before the skin goes numb. If a small dressing has been placed over the needle insertion site. This can be removed a few hours later. If you have excess fluid in the knee then this will usually be drained before the Arthrosamid is injected.

The whole procedure should last between 20 and 30 minutes.

After the injection

If local anaesthetic has been administered, you may not feel any pain for a few hours afterwards. However, once the anaesthetic wears off, you may feel increased pain for a few days.

You can continue to take regular medication and pain killers as normal.

You should avoid any strenuous weight-bearing activities (e.g. running, tennis or long walks) during the first few days after your injection. Your consultant will be able to advise you on how to slowly introduce more activity.

Most patients start to notice a gradual improvement in symptoms after about 10 days. Pain levels should reduce and knee function continue to improve for up to 12 weeks after the injection. This effect should last multiple years.

If you need major surgery or a dental procedure in the future, you will need to let your treating physician know about the Arthrosamid implant.