Osteoarthritis affects millions of people every day. It causes swelling and stiffening of joints and cartilage, making any movement painful. Though it can affect a younger person, there’s a greater chance of developing it after the age of 60.
Approximately 27-30 million Americans have osteoarthritis; for about half of those people, it affects their knees. Developing a treatment for it is crucial for many of those individuals, since the traditional treatment alone – taking an anti-inflammatory medication – wasn’t cutting it.
“Hope” For Painful Knees Initiates More Pain, Instead
In 2008 Synvisc – One was approved for use in the knees of osteoarthritis sufferers. It promised a long term, though not permanent, solution to knee pain and inflexibility by using HLA to hydrate the meniscus and cartilage. It was supposed to prevent the need for knee replacement for several years.
Instead, it is wreaking havoc among the families who have relied on the medication, especially the older generation who are both more prone to have OA and susceptible to infection.
A lot of 18,000 injection syringes were found to be contaminated, yet many patients still received their injections. Though sources don’t indicate which microbes are present, the manufacturer, Genzyme, indicates effects of an infection may include:
- Pain
- Redness
- Swelling of the knee
- Fluid Retention
- Fever
- Infection
If you have been suffering since your Synvisc-One injection, you should seek legal counsel.
Many doctors’ offices will not release the information about lot numbers to their patient, so it must be obtained through subpoena. The team at Harman Law Firm will back you up and help you get the recompense you deserve for your medical injury.
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