Osteoarthritis (OA) is a frequent cause of joint pain and is
estimated to be the most common cause of disability in adults. The goals of
management of patients with osteoarthritis (OA) are to control pain and
swelling, minimize disability, improve
the quality of life, and educate the
patient about his or her role in the management team. The effects of
intraarticular hyaluronans in OA have been the subject of several studies.
Their aim has been to determine whether intraarticular supplementation of
these macromolecules, which are deficient in degenerative cartilage, can
lead to decreased symptoms of osteoarthritis.