OSTENIL® TENDON injections are more effective than corticosteroid injections for the treatment of tendon disorders

Tendon disorders are the most frequent cause of pain in the musculoskeletal system of physically active individuals. There are various conservative treatment methods, but most of them only offer short-term relief. When injecting steroids in the elbow region, the risk of tendon damage also increases.1

A meta-analysis showed that steroid injections are not more effective than placebos.2 Is there also a treatment option that is effective and offers more long-term relief of tendon disorders when taken?

Gorelick et al.3,4 investigated the effectiveness of sodium hyaluronate for the treatment of various tendon disorders. 157 patients diagnosed with tennis elbow were included in the study and divided into three groups. 54 patients received a corticosteroid injection, 49 patients were given an injection with OSTENIL® TENDON (2% sodium hyaluronate) and 54 patients received a combination therapy comprising an initial corticosteroid injection and, 7-10 days later, an OSTENIL® TENDON injection. The efficacy was evaluated using the VAS score and DASH score (Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand). Follow-up examinations were carried out 6 and 12 months after treatment.

There was a significant reduction in pain after one year compared to the initial value (p<0.0001) for all three forms of treatment. The treatments with OSTENIL® TENDON and the combination therapy were significantly better (p<0.001) than the treatment with corticosteroids after one year. Furthermore, in comparison to the corticosteroid group, there were no side effects (0 vs 10). The level of pain using the VAS scale dropped in the OSTENIL® TENDON group from 10.0 to 0.5, while this only dropped to 5.5 in the corticosteroid group. After one year, combination therapy showed similar effects to the OSTENIL® TENDON treatment, however, there were more side effects attributable to the corticosteroids. The long-term effect of the treatment with OSTENIL® TENDON is also interesting. While pain in the OSTENIL® TENDON group continued to subside over the course of the study, the corticosteroid group experienced an increase in pain again after 6 months.

►Conclusion: An injection with OSTENIL® TENDON is significantly superior to treatment with corticosteroids for the treatment of tennis elbow. The effect of the treatment lasts for a period of at least one year.

A further study investigated the effect of the OSTENIL® TENDON treatment for problems with the Achilles tendon. 56 patients with a newly diagnosed case of Achilles tendinopathy which had not yet been treated were included in the study. 20 patients received an injection with OSTENIL® TENDON, 19 patients were given an injection with corticosteroids and another 17 patients received a combination therapy of rest, splint, physiotherapy and NSARs. The VAS pain scale and the FADI score (Foot and Ankle Disability Index) were used to evaluate efficacy. Follow-up examinations were carried out after 6 weeks and after 3, 6 and 12 months.

All patients suffered from severe pain in the Achilles tendon at the start of the study. The value was 10 cm on the VAS pain scale. All treatment groups exhibited a reduction in pain over the course of the study. However, the sodium hyaluronate group (SH group) was superior to the corticosteroid group at all intervals during the study. Superiority achieved statistical significance after 6 and after 12 months. The carryover effect of the OSTENIL® TENDON treatment could also be seen again here. Even one year after the end of treatment, the pain subsided continuously, while there was an increase in pain again for the steroid group. The effect of corticosteroid treatment corresponded to the effect of conservative treatment in the long term.
Both studies confirm the superiority of the OSTENIL® TENDON treatment compared to the corticosteroid treatment. The effect of the corticosteroid treatment decreases over time, while the effect of OSTENIL® TENDON is still visible even after one year.

►Conclusion: The OSTENIL® TENDON injections are significantly more effective than corticosteroid injections for the treatment of tennis elbow and problems with the Achilles tendon. The effect lasts for a period of at least 12 months.

References:

1 Osborne H (2010): Stop injecting corticosteroid into patients with tennis elbow, they are much more likely to get better by themselves! J Sci Med Sport 13: 380-381.
2 Krogh TP, Bartels EM, Ellingsen T, Stengaard Pedersen K, Buchbinder R, et al. (2013): Comparative effectiveness of injection therapies in lateral epicondylitis: A systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Am J Sports Med 41: 1435-1446.
3 Gorelick L, Gorelick AR, Saab A, Ram E, Robinson D (2015): Lateral Epicondylitis Injection Therapy: A Safety and Efficacy Analysis of Hyaluronate versus Corticosteroid Injections. Adv Tech Biol Med 3: 130.
4 Gorelick L et al.; Single Hyaluronate Injection in the Management of Insertional Achilles Tendinopathy in Comparison to Corticosteroid Injections and Non-invasive Conservative Treatments, Sch Bull,: Jul 2015, 16-20.

OSTENIL is #injectionofoil 

In a Twitter conversation this weekend, former Premiership footballer, Don Hutchison, recommended OSTENIL as a "god send" [sic] and as "#injectionofoil":


Thank you for the commendation, and best wishes to you!

New Guidelines Offer Hope for Older UK Osteoarthritis Sufferers

A report on how people suffering with symptomatic Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee may still be able to remain active in sport has just been published in the Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine: January 2016 - Volume 26 - Issue 1 - p 1–11 doi: 10.1097/JSM.0000000000000274

The authors – who are all members of The American Medical Society for Sport Medicine (AMSSM), an organisation which represents over 2100 nonsurgical sports medicine physicians - carried out a detailed meta-analysis (a process where the results of many different studies are pooled and then subjected to sensitive statistical testing) of all relevant clinical investigations relating to the use of Viscosupplementation published between 1960 and 2014.  Viscosupplementation is an internationally recognised treatment modality for Osteoarthritis of the knee. The process involves injecting Hyaluronic Acid (HA) or Sodium Hyaluronate as it is often referred to, directly into the affected joint. HA is a viscous fluid which closely resembles the natural synovial fluid found in all healthy articular joints...

Continue here: http://www.trbchemedica.co.uk/news/new-guidelines-offer-hope-to-older-oa-sufferers

Ophthalmic Squeeze Dispenser

Some interesting facts about the VISMED® MULTI or VISMED® GEL MULTI dispensers from TRB Chemedica: Each bottle contains up to 250 drops of VISMED® (0.18% Sodium Hyaluronate) or VISMED® GEL (0.3% Sodium Hyaluronate), making them an economic alternative to the classic mono-dose vials; The dispensers are safe to use up to 3 months after first opening; No preservatives are included in the solution; instead the containers are kept contaminant-free by an innovative and award-winning bottle design. You can find more information on VISMED® MULTi here: http://www.trbchemedica.co.uk/dry-eyes/vismed-multi ; and on VISMED® GEL MULTI here: http://www.trbchemedica.co.uk/dry-eyes/vismed-gel-multi .

VISMED® MULTI Ophthalmic Squeeze Dispenser

It is a well-established fact that preservatives in eye drops should be avoided as they may worsen the patient's condition. But keeping contamination out of a multi-dose bottle without the use of potentially damaging chemicals is a challenge. At the same time, the ideal container should not be difficult to use, particularly for the elderly or those with weak finger joints. TRB Chemedica have developed an easy-to-use multidose container, the OSD, or ophthalmic squeeze dispenser. This bottle has been designed to keep the VISMED® eye drops free from contaminants for up to 3 months after first use. All this without any preservatives. Read more...>>>

VISMED® GEL MULTI

Now, this same award-winning OSD container is also available for VISMED® GEL. VISMED® GEL has a higher concentration of 0.3% sodium hyaluronate compared to VISMED® (0.18%) and is ideal for more severe symptoms of dry eye and for a longer lasting effect. VISMED® GEL MULTI is indicated in case of symptoms and signs of dry eye and/or ocular surface damage, due to diseases such as superficial keratitis, Sjögren syndrome or primary dry eye syndrome. The VISMED® GEL MULTI bottle is also entirely free from preservatives. Here is some more information>>> . In the United Kingdom, VISMED® MULTI and VISMED® GEL MULTI are available from pharmacies and opticians as an "over the counter" or "OTC" item. However, both products are also available on the NHS and can be prescribed by your GP or Ophthalmic Consultant. For more information, or if you require samples or patient information leaflets for your practice or pharmacy outlet please contact us on info@trbchemedica.co.uk. Kind regards from TRB Chemedica (UK) Ltd

TRB Chemedica (UK) Ltd - info@trbchemedica.co.uk - www.trbchemedica.co.uk

What can you do to keep your eyes healthy?

What can you do yourself to keep your eyes healthy?

Here are some ideas:

• Drink sufficient amounts of water, particularly during times of stress and in old age
  
• Spend plenty of time outside in fresh air
  
• Avoid smoke-filled rooms
  
• Get an air moisturiser when the central heating is on and the air indoors is too dry
  
• Protect your eyes from draughts, wind and too much sun, perhaps by using goggles or sun glasses
• Give your eyes time to rest and blink while working at a computer screen
  
• In the evening, carefully remove all make-up from your eyes
  
• Have your eyes checked regularly to ensure there are no serious underlying causes, and to keep your prescription glasses or contact lenses up-to-date
  
• Regularly clean and change your contact lenses
  
• A healthy diet will be good for your eyes, too

An eye lubricant may also be helpful. Solutions containing sodium hyaluronate can be particularly effective and are well tolerated. Sodium hyaluronate is an important component of healthy eyes. (Click here to read more about sodium hyaluronate).

Ask your GP, optometrist (optician), or ophthalmologist, whether you might suffer from a breakdown of the tear film, and what he might recommend to reduce your discomfort.

Sodium hyaluronate: an important component of a healthy tear film!

Shoulders and Elbows

TRB Chemedica (UK) Ltd supported another event this summer related to sports medicine: the BESS Annual Scientific Meeting held in Torquay (15-17 June 2012). BESS stands for British Elbow and Shoulder Society.

The annual meeting in June attracted many delegates from all parts of the UK, to attend lectures and seminars on the techniques and latest developments in shoulder and elbow surgery and other treatment options.

TRB Chemedica (UK) Ltd had a stand at the trade exhibition during the congress, and TRB staff talked to many stand visitors about the benefits of sodium hyaluronate treatments for traumatic and degenerative joint disease in the shoulder and elbow.

OSTENIL^® is the only Sodium Hyaluronate product recommended in the formulary for the world-wide sports event in England this year. This fact, coupled with the experience that many of the delegates already had with OSTENIL^® and OSTENIL^® PLUS, helped to promote the OSTENIL^® range as a valid treatment option.

OSTENIL^® and OSTENIL^® PLUS come in the form of syringes which can be injected into the synovial joint either to prevent or to postpone surgery.

Sodium hyaluronate can also be used post-arthroscopy: VISCOSEAL^® replaces the lost synovial fluid that was washed out during the arthroscopic procedure and helps to promote joint homeostasis.

We look forward to supporting other conferences later on in 2012 where we can talk to sports physicians and medical specialists about the benefits of the OSTENIL^® range, and on how it can help rehabilitate our sporting champions.

New Packaging

We at TRB Chemedica are currently in the process of updating the packaging of our products. Our customers will have already noticed the new Vismed multi bottle which now comes in a new easy-to-use "Just squeeze" dispenser bottle. Vismed single-dose vials as well as Vismed light have also changed their appearance. Vismed gel will follow in 2-3 months' time.

In the orthopaedic product range used for the treatment of osteoarthritis, Ostenil Plus and Ostenil mini have also been transformed in appearance, with Ostenil to follow shortly. Ostenil Tendon is an exciting new product used for the treatment of tendinitis and already reflects the new packaging style.

Last but not least, Viscoseal now comes in a totally new presentation: in syringe form, which makes it easier to handle in the operating theatre.
Visit our website or contact us on info@trbchemedica.co.uk for more details.

Viscoseal Roundtable Meeting

Synovial fluid replacement after arthroscopy

Arthroscopic procedures in shoulder, knee and hip are nowadays established as minimally invasive methods. However, post-operative pain, swelling and restricted mobility induced by tissue lesion cannot be completely avoided. Those post-operative symptoms can be alleviated with VISCOSEAL®, a solution of hyaluronic acid.

In January of 2011, Dr S Egger (Austria), Dr Muthu Jeyam (UK), Prof C Erggelet (Switzerland) and Dr W Weissenbacher (Austria) gathered together in Austria for a roundtable meeting, to discuss their experiences in arthroscopic surgery. A report on this meeting is now available on our website. Click here to read more...>>> 

New Vismed multi 'Just Squeeze' bottle out now!

TRB Chemedica (UK) Ltd, supplier of sodium hyaluronate based ophthalmic eye products in the UK and Ireland, announces the launch of the new VISMED® MULTI fitted with the innovative and patented preservative-free multi-dose Ophthalmic Squeeze Dispenser (OSD) for the treatment of dry eye. Dry eye patients regularly instil lubricant eye drops, and often do so for the rest of their lives. Many of these patients are elderly and can experience difficulties when using preservative-free multi-dose dispensers, as currently available dispensing systems do not offer overall satisfaction for eye drop delivery. The OSD squeezable dispenser - the result of more than 10 years of research and development in the delivery of preservative-free ophthalmic solutions - highlights the following features :     1) intrinsic intuitiveness of a squeezable container,     2) user friendliness for all adult age groups due to a low actuation force,     3) precise and reproducible drop ejection,     4) ergonomic and pocket size design. VISMED® MULTI is a patented, preservative free, sterile, hypotonic lubricant eye drop formulation of 0.18 % sodium hyaluronate with essential ions (calcium, magnesium, and potassium). The new dispenser contains 10ml of solution, equivalent to more than 250 drops, and remains sterile for up to  3 months after first use. TRB Chemedica (UK) Ltd’s MD, Peter Hunt, stated that “The new VISMED® MULTI ‘Just Squeeze’ bottle will be very well received by both patients and medical professionals.” The worldwide trend towards preservative-free, multi-dose dispensers, which are safe, patient-friendly and cost-effective,  like the OSD system, resonates with TRB Chemedica’s commitment to maintain VISMED® MULTI’s status as the gold standard in lubricant eye drops.

VISMED^® MULTI is still available on the NHS (FP10), as are the other two preservative-free eye drops, VISMED^® and VISMED^® Gel.