A new study conducted at New York’s Hospital for Special Surgery titled, “A Randomized Controlled Single-Blind Study Demonstrating Superiority of Amniotic Suspension Allograft Injection Over Hyaluronic Acid and Saline Control for Modification of Knee Osteoarthritis Symptoms” published in the Journal of Knee Surgery found clear evidence that amniotic suspension allograft (ASA) injections may be a superior anti-inflammatory treatment for knee osteoarthritis.
This was a multicenter, three arm, randomized to a control trial where the ability of amniotic suspension allograft to modulate inflammation and swelling was compared with saline and hyaluronic acid (HA) injections in patients with knee osteoarthritis.
Two hundred subjects were randomized 1:1:1 to ASA, HA, or saline. Primary endpoints included changes from baseline of patient-reported outcomes (PROs)-EQ-5D-5L, Knee Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), visual analog scale (VAS), Tegner, and Single Assessment Numerical Evaluation (SANE). Any patient who reported unacceptable pain at 3 months were considered treatment failures and removed from the study. They included 13.2% in the amniotic suspension allograft group, 68.8% in the HA group and 75% in the saline group.
According to the data collected, patients receiving ASA demonstrated greater improvements in overall pain (VAS), KOOS pain, and KOOS-activities of daily living scores compared to those in the (HA) group at 6 months and in both groups at 6 months. OMERACT-OARSI [Outcome Measures in Rheumatology-Osteoarthritis Research Society International] responder rates for amniotic suspension allograft, HA, and saline groups were 69.1, 39.1 and 42.6%, respectively (p = 0.0007).
Andreas Gomoll, M.D., a sports medicine and orthopedic surgeon at the Hospital for Special Surgery summarized the results of the study to OTW.
“The amniotic fluid and membrane injection showed the best results because there are a lot of anti-inflammatory substances in amniotic membrane and it is the inflammation and swelling that really hurts.”
He added, “We use a lot of injections with injured athletes. If there is a truly mechanical problem, then surgery is indicated, but many athletes just have pain and inflammation. Less is often more when it comes to treating these athletes because it is harder to get back to sport after surgery.”
“The amniotic suspension allograft injections are also a good option for older patients as well. They allow us to try to delay or prevent all together the need for knee replacement,” he said.
Please tell me more details. Thank you so very much
I’m an 80/year old women with osteoarthritis in both knees due to a Ski accident 30 years ago. Have been getting monovisc injections for about 2 years. That’s worked very well. I’m curious as to the efficacy of the amniotic fluid injections rather than knee replacement surgery. Have read several articles that sound very promising. Also am in excellent health.
Let’s put it this way. I have one knee almost healed and one half healed, but my treatment, partially paid for by medicare, was interrupted. The protocol is amnio shot, a second one in 6 weeks, and hyaluronic acid shot 6 weeks after that. After Trump left office my treatments have been neither approved, nor disapproved, and my doctor can’t get the shots he’s ordered. Using only Consciously to heal is slow, but is working, as I train my thinking.
On the other hand my 78 year old sister who has good insurance did not investigate amnio shots; she opted for the new plastic knee replacement. There were mishaps in the hospital, she needed a second knee replacement on the one leg, …, got both staph and one other infection (old brain can’t recall what it was) and chose to have the leg removed. So don’t think there is no risk in knee ops! Check out the new shots.
Where do they obtain this amniotic fluid from ? Is this another thing that abortionist collect but deny selling on the sky ?
The perinatal tissue, which otherwise typically would be discarded, is harvested with parental consent from pre-screened, healthy C-Sections.
VA orthopedic doctor claimed their amniotic materials are harvested from healthy, cesarean section births, not abortions. My slight rotator cuff separation was 90% better after 5 weeks from the injection. Nine moths later I have 100% range of motion without pain. I’m calling the treatment 95% success in my case.
I am on the treatment at his point, took the first shot about more than 3 weeks ago, first shot left knee, next shot on September 2020, Doctor talking about 90days after treatment.results. check up 45 days in between. Am skeptical to the treatment already since this article stays 90 day maximun after a failure.watch out.
Is this usable in ankles and is it covered by Medicare?
I’ve had no relief from pain upon movement thus far. I was injected in one knee two weeks ago and the other 1 week ago. Again, no relief thus far. Can I expect any results in the future.
I’m 65 year old female with ruptured cyst on left knee. Two days ago I got a steroid shot and put on steroid dosepak. Insurance has approved amniotic fluid injections for bone on bone pain in left knee. Want to know how safe the option is and any information available. Thank you!!!
https://www.health.ny.gov/publications/1985.pdf
Do your own research and stay away from those steroids!
Where is ASA available? There must be somewhere in DC area.
Kevin
The VA orthopedic doctor administered an Amniox injection for a slight rotator cuff separation (painful injury and painful injection). Nine months in I have 100% range of motion with no pain. I give the treatment a 95% success. I am 79 years old and swim, shoot traditional archery, and play golf without rotator pain.