Question
I am really interested in the treatment of osteoarthritis with hyaluronic acid; especifically the use of it in the hip joint. I learned that it is being used in Europe and Japan with great success. I am 44 yrs old, female and I don’t want to end in a wheel chair. I lived in Columbia, MD. and doctors in this area only perform the HA injections in the knee. Please I need your help in this matter; I will need to know which doctors would you recomend and more feedback in the subject.
Answer
Hyaluronic acid (HA)-(Synvisc, Supartz, Hylgan, Orthovisc) are currently only approved for OA of the knees. Although I am aware that some physicians are using it in the hip off label, I do not know of anyone in the area doing it. HA has been shown to reduce pain but it does not prevent the OA from worsening. At least for the knee, I think most orthopedic surgeons and rheumatologists view HA as an agent with modest benefit but very little side effects.
