This is an injection of a medicine called HYALGAN. It's delivered directly into your knee joint. It helps with the pain of osteoarthritis.
To begin, your knee is numbed with a local anesthetic. A needle is carefully inserted into your knee joint. The doctor uses a fluoroscope (that's a video X-ray device that shows moving images) to watch the needle inside your knee. To make sure the needle is in the right place, the doctor injects some dye. It shows up clearly on the fluoroscope. The doctor makes sure the dye enters the space around the joint.
Without moving the needle, the doctor removes the dye syringe. It's replaced with a syringe of HYALGAN. The doctor injects it into your joint. It bonds with the knee's synovial fluid (that's the thick lubricating fluid inside your joint). The HYALGAN will cushion your knee and help it move smoothly.
After the injection, your knee is bandaged. A series of three to five HYALGAN injections will complete your regimen. You'll get one each week. Pain relief usually begins after the third injection, and it can last for up to six months. You may benefit from physical therapy, too. For more information, talk to your healthcare provider.