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PATIENT INFORMATION
WHAT IS SYNVISC?
Synvisc is a viscous and elastic sterile mixture that is made up of hylan A fluid, hylan B gel, and salt water. The two hylans are manufactured from hyaluronan (sodium hyaluronate) that come from chicken combs. Hyaluronan is a natural chemical found in the body and is present in a particularly high amount in joint tissues and in the fluid that fills the joint. The body's own hyaluronan acts like a lubricant and a shock absorber in the joint, and is needed for the joint to operate properly. In osteoarthritis, there may not be enough hyaluronan, and there may be a change in the quality of the hyaluronan in joint fluid and tissues.
Synvisc is available in 2.25 mL pre-filled syringes containing 2 mL of Synvisc. Synvisc is given in a shot directly in your knee.
WHAT IS SYNVISC USED FOR?
Synvisc is used to relieve knee pain due to osteoarthritis. It is used for patients who do not get adequate relief from simple painkillers or from exercise and physical therapy.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF SYNVISC?
Two studies involving a total of 132 patients who were at lest 40 years old and who had knee pain due to osteoarthritis were performed in Germany. The patients were placed in one of two groups. One group was given an injection of Synvisc into one or both knee joints once a week for 3 weeks. The second group was given an injection of salt water once a week for 3 weeks. Joint pain and patients' and physicians' ideas of the success of treatment were measured for 12 weeks.
Patients with osteoarthritis knee joint pain, who had not obtained pain relief with other medications, experienced pain relief from the Synvisc injections into the knee joint. Patients who had been given Synvisc experienced more pain relief than patients who had received salt water. Some pain relief occurred within the first week after Synvisc treatment began. The most pain relief and the greatest amount of treatment success occurred 8 to 12 weeks after Synvisc treatment began.
A study in the United States evaluated 90 patients who were at least 40 years old and who had knee pain due to osteoarthritis. Patients improved after Synvisc treatments, but not significantly more than those who simply had a needle inserted into the knee to have fluid removed if any was present. This study was different from the German studies because the last comparison between Synvisc and control was only two weeks after the last Synvisc injection. It also differed in several other ways, including the length of time that patients had to stop taking medications before they could start treatment. This length of time was two weeks in the German studies and four weeks in the U.S. study.
WHAT OTHER TREATMENTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR OSTEOARTHRITIS?
If you have osteoarthritis, there are several things you can do that do not involve Synvisc injections. These include the following:
- Avoiding activities that cause pain in your joints
- Exercise
- Physical therapy
- Removal of excess fluid from the knee
Drug therapy
- Pain killers such as acetaminophen and narcotics
- Drugs that reduce inflammation, such as aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen and naproxen
- Corticosteroids that are injected directly into the joint
ARE THERE ANY REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD NOT TAKE SYNVISC?
- You should not take this product if you have had any previous allergic reaction to Synvisc or hyaluronan products.
- You should not have an injection into the knee if you have a knee joint infection or skin diseases or infections around the injection site.
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT SYNVISC:
- Synvisc is only for injection into the knee, performed by a qualified health care professional.
- Consult your physician if you are allergic to products from birds such as feathers, eggs, and poultry.
- The packaging of this product contains dry natural rubber latex.
- After you receive the injection, you may need to avoid activities such as jogging, tennis, heavy lifting, or standing on your feet for a long time.
- The safety and effectiveness of repeat treatment cycles of Synvisc have not been established.
- Synvisc has not been tested in pregnant women, or women who are nursing.
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