Hylan-G-F-20 ['Synvisc'] is an effective therapy for many patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee; it delays total knee replacement procedures, which generates cost savings in the managed-care setting, researchers reported at the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons [Dallas, US; February 2002]. In their study, the researchers developed a model to study the economic impact of introducing viscosupplementation for the treatment of OA of the knee in a managed-care setting. Hylan-G-F-20 is an injectable agent that restores the viscoelastic properties of synovial fluids, reduces pain, improves mobility, and restores homeostasis to the joint. The treatment regimen typically involves 3 intra-articular injections, and can be effective at all stages of OA.