@article{a10ef484077a4f0592b0ccd2b3366b0f,
title = "The effect of hyaluronan injections into human knees on the number of bone and cartilage wear particles captured by bio-ferrography",
abstract = "Osteoarthritis is characterized by degradation of cartilage and subchondral bone, releasing wear particles into the synovial fluid. Intra-articular injections of exogenous hyaluronan are often given to patients suffering from osteoarthritis in order to compensate for the reduction in the level of endogenous hyaluronan and to restore the rheological properties of the synovial fluid. The exact effect of these injections is still ambiguous. In this work bio-ferrography was used to capture magnetically labeled cartilage and bone debris from the synovial fluid in human knees before each of four injections (Euflexxa{\texttrademark}). The wear particles were counted and characterized microscopically and chemically. WOMAC, VAS, SF-36 and KS questionnaires indicated significant pain relief during the treatment, but suffered from inconsistency. Bio-ferrography showed a reduction in the concentration of both cartilage and bone particles, with a minimum after the third hyaluronan injection. The advantages of bio-ferrography as a primary assessment tool are discussed. The results indicate that while hyaluronan treatment may temporarily slow the wear rate to an extent beyond a placebo effect, it does not prevent joint degradation altogether.",
keywords = "Bio-ferrography, Hyaluronan, Osteoarthritis, Synovial fluid, Wear particles",
author = "Keren Hakshur and Itai Benhar and Yaron Bar-Ziv and Nahum Halperin and David Segal and Noam Eliaz",
note = "Funding Information: The authors thank Debi Ronen, Yona Kosashvili and Noa Eliaz of the Assaf Harofeh Medical Center for the collection, storage and shipment of samples as well as for the analysis of patient questionnaires. This study was partially supported by a grant from Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Ferring International Center SA, Switzerland . However, this funding source was not involved in the study design, in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data, in the writing of the manuscript and in the decision to submit it to Acta Biomaterialia . ",
year = "2011",
month = feb,
doi = "10.1016/j.actbio.2010.08.030",
language = "אנגלית",
volume = "7",
pages = "848--857",
journal = "Acta Biomaterialia",
issn = "1742-7061",
publisher = "Acta Materialia Inc",
number = "2",
}