@Readabook Here's a little background that might be helpful.
The single-dose visco-supplementation injections have been around since about 2010 so they aren't really "new", but they are definitely newer than the 3-dose versions that were offered earlier.
They are all (both single does and triple-dose) FDA approved and all use hyaluronic acid. In those of us with osteoarthritis, the body’s natural hyaluronic acid breaks down and becomes less effective, leading to pain, stiffness, and reduced mobility. Unfortunately, the research into whether the single dose or multi-dose performs better are not definitive.
The idea behind the injections is that they are supposed to supplement the depleted hyaluronic acid in osteoarthritic knees to reduce pain and improve joint function temporarily. Some studies show that gel injections typically provide pain relief for 3-6 months, with strongest effects noted between 5-13 weeks post-injection. However, effectiveness seems to depend upon how severely damaged the knee is prior to injection.
Here's my personal experience: I had the Synvisc-One (which is Sanofi's version of Zimmer's Gel-One) in both knees at different times. The one in my bone-on-bone knee did nothing for me, and I scheduled my TKR as soon as I was allowed. (Most surgeons make you wait 3 months after an injection into the joint to reduce the risk of infection). However, in my other knee, which was "less arthritic" knee, it worked -- giving me about 3-4 months of relief and allowing me to delay the second TKR for about a year.
If you decide to do it, trust your surgeon's recommendation regarding which approach to use. But understand that, if it doesn't work well, it's most likely because your knee is just too far along to benefit from the supplementation (like mine was),
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Like I’ve said before, I’ve been there, done that. Try to find other things to focus on, to take your mind off the injury.
