Durolane Injection

[Happygarden]

Durolane Injection

I am currently on watch and wait, active and largely without any symptoms. I

am contemplating having an injection in my knee to ease pain primarily caused by wear over the years. If I have the injection I have been told that there is a small increase in my chance of having an infection. I am due to speak to the “knee consultant” but wondered if anyone has any insight into this subject

Thank you

[cajunjeff]

Well I am not an expert or doctor, but I think it is fair to say that any procedure that breaks the skin comes with an increased risk of infection. Our skin acts as a barrier to germs and punctured skin creates a point of entry for them. Since we have cll and generally have more impaired immune systems, should any germs or pathogens get in, we are more at risk of it turning into an infection.

Its a risk we balance and take all the time. Examples are when we have vaccine jabs and when we have our normal labs done.

The more invasive the procedure, the greater the risk. I would think a bone marrow biopsy likely carries more risk of infection than a vaccine jab or blood draw because its a bigger needle breaking our skin for a longer period of time.

I think the same would be true for a knee injection, that is, it is probably a bit more invasive of a needle puncture than a routine blood draw might be, it depends on the type of knee injection.

My personal view is that the slight risk of infection from such a procedure would not stop me from having it to get relief for a bad knee. We have to rely on our doctors to have properly sterilized equipment. And then, I think, we need to be more careful than the next guy to keep the puncture spot covered and clean until the puncture heals and the skin barrier is restored.

[AussieNeil Partner Administrator]

It's important that your neutrophil count is adequate. My doctor wouldn't give me a similar injection because I was too neutropenic.

Neil