The Skin & Joint Injection ClinicHydrogel knee injection · Wirral
Arthrosamid Knee Injection in Wirral
A single-injection hydrogel treatment considered for suitable knee osteoarthritis after clinical assessment.
What is Arthrosamid?
A single-injection hydrogel for knee osteoarthritis
Arthrosamid® is an intra-articular polyacrylamide hydrogel (iPAAG) used for the symptomatic treatment of knee osteoarthritis in suitable patients. It is 97.5% water and 2.5% cross-linked polyacrylamide, delivered as a single injection into the knee joint space. Clinical follow-up has shown long-lasting symptom relief in selected patients, though response varies and suitability is decided at consultation.
Arthrosamid® for knee osteoarthritis
From£2,400
Includes consultation, ultrasound-guided injection and aftercare. A single Arthrosamid treatment is designed to provide long-lasting relief in suitable patients.
When knee arthritis starts shrinking everyday life
Knee osteoarthritis affects the ordinary parts of life: stairs, shopping, walking, gardening, sleep and time with family. Many people manage well with exercise, weight management, medication or physiotherapy. Others reach a point where they want to discuss injection options before considering a surgical pathway.
Arthrosamid is not suitable for every painful knee. We assess your diagnosis, symptoms, examination findings, previous treatments, medical history and expectations before deciding whether it is the right option for you.
How it works
The hydrogel integrates with the joint lining
Once injected into the knee joint space, the Arthrosamid hydrogel becomes integrated with the soft tissues in the joint lining. The aim is to support symptom relief over the long term. It does not reverse arthritis, and results vary between patients.
We use ultrasound guidance where appropriate to visualise the knee joint and support accurate placement during the procedure. The injection is performed in clinic under local anaesthetic as an outpatient procedure — no hospital stay required.
Your consultation covers whether the pattern of pain, stiffness and function makes Arthrosamid a sensible choice compared with steroid injection, hyaluronic acid, PRF, physiotherapy or onward referral to orthopaedics.
Effectiveness
Could Arthrosamid offer longer-lasting relief?
Clinical follow-up shows that some patients report sustained improvements in pain and function for up to three to five years after a single injection. Suitability, individual response and duration of benefit vary, and are discussed honestly at consultation.
Effectiveness & evidence
What the studies show about Arthrosamid
The durability data is what sets it apart. In a 12-month study, a single ultrasound-guided injection produced a significant reduction in pain that was still present at one year, with lasting improvements in stiffness and physical function, and 62% of patients still classed as treatment responders at the 12-month mark(1). Newer five-year follow-up data is even more striking: improvements in pain, stiffness and everyday function from that one injection were still clearly present half a decade later, and remained large enough to be genuinely meaningful in daily life(2). A separate head-to-head randomised study found Arthrosamid at least as effective and safe as hyaluronic acid for at least a year after a single injection(3). Those who respond often notice gradual improvement over the first weeks to months as the gel settles into the joint. Across this long-term research, no safety problems were linked to the gel itself; as with any joint injection, mild and short-lived reactions at the site can occur, and serious side effects are rare.
Bliddal H, et al. Effectiveness and safety of polyacrylamide hydrogel injection for knee osteoarthritis: 12-month follow up. J Orthop Surg Res. 2024. link.springer.com
Bliddal H, et al. A single intra-articular polyacrylamide hydrogel injection in knee osteoarthritis: a 5-year extension study. J Orthop Surg Res. 2025. link.springer.com
Bliddal H, et al. Polyacrylamide gel versus hyaluronic acid for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: a randomised controlled study. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2024. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Individual results vary. Suitability for any treatment is assessed during your consultation.
Is Arthrosamid right for you?
Who we most often consider Arthrosamid for
Arthrosamid is not appropriate for every painful knee, and we are direct about that at consultation. These are the three situations in which we most commonly discuss it as a considered option.
Moderate-to-severe knee osteoarthritis. Patients with confirmed osteoarthritic change on imaging — joint space narrowing, cartilage erosion or bone-on-bone grinding — who have not had adequate relief from conservative options such as exercise, weight management, oral medication, physiotherapy, steroid injection or hyaluronic acid.
Patients wishing to delay or avoid knee replacement. Some patients ask about Arthrosamid as a way to delay total knee replacement — to preserve current function, defer the rehabilitation timeline, or simply put surgery off while it remains optional. Whether this is realistic for your knee is decided honestly at consultation.
Patients for whom major surgery is higher risk. For patients deemed higher risk for general anaesthesia or major orthopaedic surgery because of cardiovascular disease, advanced age or significant comorbidities, a non-surgical injection-based option can be valuable to discuss alongside the orthopaedic and anaesthetic view.
Your treatment, step by step
GP-led care from assessment to aftercare
We explain each step before treatment so you know what to expect during the procedure, afterwards and if symptoms do not improve as hoped.
01
In-Clinic Procedure
ARTHROSAMID® is injected into the knee joint space as an outpatient procedure. You do not need a hospital stay, and ultrasound guidance is used where appropriate.
02
Assessment First
You will have a consultation with the clinician to review your knee symptoms, medical history and suitability before any treatment is offered.
03
Aftercare Plan
You receive aftercare advice before leaving clinic, including what to expect after the injection and when to contact us for review.
Want to know more?
Your questions answered, your journey explained
Download the official Arthrosamid patient brochure and the 3-year follow-up leaflet to learn more about how Arthrosamid may fit into your treatment plan.
Hear from a patient who chose Arthrosamid: a short testimonial about their experience of the treatment and their recovery.
Your Journey With Us
Assessment, treatment and aftercare, clearly explained.
We know it can feel difficult to book a procedure when you are not sure what will happen next. Your clinician will explain suitability, risks, recovery and aftercare before treatment goes ahead.
Book
Choose a consultation online or speak to the clinic if you are not sure which service fits. Most appointments are available within seven days.
Assess
An in-person review with Dr Mugerwa: he will listen to your story and examine the area, which may include an ultrasound scan. You then get an honest recommendation — if treatment is suitable we explain the options, risks and likely outcomes; if it is not, we will tell you and refer you on.
Treat
The procedure itself, followed by tailored aftercare guidance and a clear contact route if anything changes during recovery.
“Dr Mugerwa was brilliant — made me feel at ease and kept me informed right through the procedure. Made my Arthrosamid injection pain free. Highly professional and would highly recommend. Thanks.”
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Arthrosamid
Honest answers to the questions patients most often raise about Arthrosamid in clinic. If yours isn't covered here, ask at your consultation.
Clinical follow-up of patients with knee osteoarthritis has reported sustained reductions in pain and improvements in joint function over several years from a single Arthrosamid injection in suitable responders. Individual response varies, and not every patient achieves this duration of benefit. We discuss your specific likelihood of response — based on your imaging, examination and previous treatment — honestly at consultation.
Arthrosamid is considered for adults with moderate-to-severe knee osteoarthritis who have not had adequate relief from conservative options such as exercise, weight management, oral medication, physiotherapy, steroid injection or hyaluronic acid. It is not suitable for every painful knee. We assess your diagnosis, imaging, examination findings, previous treatments, medical history and expectations before deciding whether Arthrosamid is the right option.
For some patients, Arthrosamid can help delay or potentially avoid total knee replacement. For others, surgery will still be the appropriate path. Arthrosamid does not reverse arthritis or restore lost cartilage. What it offers selected patients is a non-surgical, single-injection option to consider before — or instead of — knee replacement. Your consultation will give you an honest picture of which route fits your situation.
Arthrosamid is a non-biodegradable hydrogel — the body does not metabolise or clear it. Over the weeks following injection, host synovial cells migrate into the gel matrix and it becomes integrated with the joint lining. It is not removed by routine activity, exercise or time. This is also why Arthrosamid is only offered after careful assessment — the decision needs to be a considered one.
Arthrosamid is given as a single outpatient injection under local anaesthetic, with ultrasound guidance used where appropriate to support accurate placement. The appointment typically lasts around 30 minutes. There is no hospital stay. Aftercare guidance is provided before you leave clinic, including what to expect over the following days and when to contact us.
The most commonly reported effects in the days after the injection are short-lived joint pain, swelling or stiffness. Joint infection is a recognised but uncommon risk of any joint injection, which is why we use strict sterile technique and assess for contraindications such as active skin infection. We discuss the specific risks relevant to your situation in detail at consultation so the decision is fully informed.
Arthrosamid is currently a privately-funded treatment in the UK. The Skin & Joint Injection Clinic is an independent, CQC-registered private clinic; you can refer yourself directly. The £2,400 fee includes consultation, the ultrasound-guided injection and aftercare. We're happy to discuss in advance whether Arthrosamid is likely to be a sensible investment for your particular knee.
In a 12-month study, about 62 percent of patients were still treatment responders at one year, and recent five-year follow-up found improvements in pain, stiffness and function still present after a single injection(1)(2). This is early, uncontrolled data, so encouraging rather than definitive, and suitability is discussed at consultation.
Reference (1): 12-month follow-up, J Orthop Surg Res 2024. link.springer.com
