Orthovisc

Orthovisc is a prescription medication used to relieve knee pain associated with osteoarthritis (OA). 

Orthovisc is a prescription medication used to relieve knee pain associated with osteoarthritis (OA) in patients who have not found adequate response from physical therapy and pain relievers. 

The safety and effectiveness Orthovisc in joints other than the knee has not been demonstrated in U.S. studies

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Serious side effects have been reported with Orthovisc. See the “Orthovisc Precautions” section.

Common side effects of Orthovisc include the following:

• joint pain
• back pain
• headache
• injection site pain

This is not a complete list of Orthovisc side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

No drug interactions have been evaluated by the manufacturer. However, you should tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Not all drug interactions are known or reported and new drug interactions are continually being reported.

Call your doctor or go to the emergency room immediately if any signs of infection appear (red, excessive drainage, fever) and always follow your doctor's instructions.

When receiving Orthovisc, there are a few things to make a note of: 

• Do not participate in strenuous activities (such as high-impact sports or weight-bearing activities) for about 48 hours after receiving Orthovisc.
• Do not miss any scheduled follow-up appointments with your healthcare provider.
• Do not use certain disinfectants on your skin without first checking with your healthcare provider.

Do not receive Orthovisc if you:

• are allergic to Orthovisc or to any of its ingredients
• are allergic to products from birds, such as feathers, eggs, and poultry. If you are injected with Orthovisc and are allergic to bird products, you could develop an allergic reaction to the injections
• have an infection or skin disease in the area in which the injection is to be given

Medications can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of Orthovisc, there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving this medication.

Before receiving Orthovisc, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. Especially tell your doctor if you:

• are allergic to Orthovisc or to any of its ingredients
• are allergic to products from birds, such as feathers, eggs, or poultry
• have an infection or skin disease in the area in which the injection is to be given
• require to stand for long periods of time after you receive the injection
• are pregnant or plan to become pregnant
• are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The effects of Orthovisc during pregnancy is unknown. 

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

The effects of Orthovisc during breastfeeding is unknown.

Orthovisc is available as an injection and is injected into the knee by a healthcare provider. 

For 48 hours after you receive the injection, avoid:

• strenuous and high-impact activities such as running and tennis
• heavy lifting
• standing on your feet for a long time (more than one hour)

You can ice your knee (wrap the ice pack in a towel) if you have any mild pain or swelling near injection site.  Be sure to schedule all of your follow-up appointments to receive all of the injection series.

Even though you may experience pain relief after your first or second injection of Orthovisc, be sure to get all 3 or 4 injections for maximum benefits with an ice pack applied to the knee. 

If you miss an appointment to receive an injection of Orthovisc, contact your doctor to make plans to receive your next injection.

The recommended dose of Orthovisc is one injection given once a week for a total of 3 or 4 injections.

Your doctor will decide how many courses/injections you need based on your symptom improvement and how you respond to this medication.

Typically, one course of Orthovisc treatment may provide up to six months of pain relief. 

Since Orthovisc is administered by a healthcare provider in a medical setting, it is unlikely that an overdose will occur. However, if overdose is suspected, seek emergency medical attention.