Patient Information

• Osteoarthritis
• Anatomy
• About DUROLANE
• Benefits of DUROLANE
• Treatment
  • Are you suitable?
  • Post Treatment
• Safety
• Further Questions
  • Pre Treatment
  • Post Treatment
• Resources

Pre-Treatment Questions

Q. What is DUROLANE?

A. DUROLANE is transparent NASHA (Non-Animal Stabilised Hyaluronic Acid) gel. It is injected into joints affected by osteoarthritis to restore lubrication and cushioning within the joint, alleviating pain and improving joint function.

Q. How does DUROLANE work?

A. Hyaluronic acid, through its ability to bind water, provides lubrication to the movable parts of joints. It also has "visco-elastic" properties (i.e. viscosity and elasticity), meaning that it can provide cushioning and shock absorption within the joint (cartilage also has shock-absorbing properties).

Q. Is my condition serious enough for this treatment?

A. If your symptoms require the repeated use of painkillers, DUROLANE offers a safe alternative with a prolonged duration of action. However, it is intended for use primarily in people with mild to moderate osteoarthritis. To find out if your condition falls within this category you must ask your physician.

Q. How safe is DUROLANE treatment?

A. DUROLANE comprises Non-Animal Stabilised Hyaluronic Acid (NASHA). It is a highly purified product produced without using any animal-based materials, ensuring that the risk of impurities is close to zero. DUROLANE is treated by the body in the same way as the body's own hyaluronic acid and there is no risk of immunological or anaphylactic reactions. NASHA has been used in over 1,500,000 treatments, for different medical purposes, and there are no apparent safety concerns.

Q. How is this treatment performed?

A. DUROLANE is administered by a single injection into the knee joint using a hypodermic needle. The entire procedure takes approximately 15 minutes, and is performed in the doctor's consulting room.

Q. How is one injection is enough, when other hyaluronic acid preparations need 3-5 injections per treatment cycle?

A. Q-Med's patented NASHA technology enables the hyaluronic acid in DUROLANE to have a longer-lasting effect than other hyaluronic acid preparations. The main reason why other products need several injections is that the injected hyaluronic acid disappears within a few days after the injection.

Q. Can I receive DUROLANE treatment in both my knees?

A. Yes. However you will need one injection in each individual knee.

Q. Can I receive DUROLANE treatment for hip osteoarthritis?

A. Yes. DUROLANE has been shown to be effective for osteoarthritis of the hip as well as the knee joint.

Q. How effective is this treatment?

A. Intra-articular hyaluronic acid offers comparable pain relief to pain-relieving drug therapy or injection of corticosteroids, with a longer duration of action.