Safety of intra-articular hip injection of hyaluronic acid products by ultrasound guidance: an open study from ANTIAGE register.

OBJECTIVE: We developed a standardized technique for ultrasound guided intra-articular injection of the hip joint with the purpose of extending routine intra-articular injection of hyaluronans and steroids to the hip, as commonly used in the knee. In this article we report the safety of this technique in an extended series of patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients were injected supine with an anterosuperior approach under ultrasound guidance. The Us probe is applied with a target device for biopsy. RESULTS: The standardised technique was used to inject 1906 patients with 4002 injections of hyaluronan products over a four-year period. The treatment was well tolerated with few, and exclusively local, side effects. CONCLUSIONS: The administration of hyaluronans under ultrasound-guided intra-articular injection is a safe technique for treatment of rheumatic diseases of the hip.