Background: Patients suffering from hip osteoarthritis (OA) are frequently symptomatic, and the disease can result in significant limitation of patients’ activity and high social costs. Viscosupplementation, which aims to restore physiological and rheological features of the synovial fluid, is a well-accepted therapeutic option in knee OA patients, but limited data exist in the literature about its potential benefit for the treatment of hip OA.

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of viscosupplementation (VS) with hyaluronic acid (Hylan GF 20) under fluoroscopic guidance in patients with symptomatic hip OA

Methods: Forty six patients (26 men, 20 women, mean age 56.4 years) with symptomatic hip OA were treated with one injection of 2 ml of hylan G-F 20(Synvisc) under fluoroscopic guidance which could be repeated after at least 3 months. Treatment efficacy was assessed by functional index oxford hip score, pain evaluation on a visual analogue scale and NSAID consumption. All such parameters were recorded at baseline as well as 2, 6 and 12 months after the beginning of the treatment.

Results: We observed a statistically significant reduction of all considered parameters at the timepoints 2 and 6 months, when compared to baseline. At 12 months the changes were still statistically significant for all parameters for about 50% of the patients. Three patients reported self-limited mild, local pain post-injection otherwise no systemic adverse events were observed.

Conclusion: Viscosupplementation with hylan G-F20 is feasible, easy to perform as well as safely relieves osteoarthritis hip pain, facilitates an improved activity level, decreases the need for pain medication, physiotherapy, and assistive devices.