Polyacrylamide hydrogel for arthritis
A hydrogel for use as a prosthetic device for supplementing, augmenting or replacing cartilage in the intra-articular cavity of a joint and for treatment or prevention of arthritis. The hydrogel may be a polyacrylamide hydrogel obtained by combining acrylamide and methylene bis-acrylamide. A prosthetic device comprising the polyacrylamide hydrogel is also disclosed.
1. A method for replacing, mimicking or augmenting a function of cartilage, synovial fluid or both comprising administering an endoprosthesis to a joint in a mammal, wherein said endoprosthesis comprises a hydrogel, said hydrogel comprising 0.5% to 25% by weight polyacrylamide, based on the total weight of the hydrogel.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrogel is obtained by a process comprising combining acrylamide and methylene bis-acrylamide in a molar ratio of 150:1 to 1000:1.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrogel comprises less than 15% by weight polyacrylamide, based on the total weight of the hydrogel.
4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the hydrogel comprises at least 1% by weight polyacrylamide, based on the total weight of the hydrogel.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrogel has a complex viscosity of about 2 to 25 Pa s.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrogel further comprises at least 75% by weight pyrogen-free water or saline solution.
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrogel comprises at least 80% by weight pyrogen-free water or saline solution.
8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the administering comprises injecting the hydrogel into an intra-articular cavity of the joint.
9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrogel is radio-labeled and the administering may be monitored by visualization.
10. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising administering hydrogel injections to excessively stressed areas of the intra-articular cavity.
11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrogel comprises at least 75% by weight pyrogen-free water.
12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrogel comprises at least 90% by weight pyrogen-free water or saline solution.
13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrogel comprises at least 75% by weight saline solution.
14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrogel has a complex viscosity of about 2 to 13 Pa s.