Efficacy of high-concentration intra-articular injections of hyaluronic acid in patients with glenohumeral osteoarthritis: case report

Glenohumeral osteoarthritis affects approximately 20–25% of individuals over 55 years of age. Management of this condition remains challenging, as total shoulder arthroplasty is associated with significant difficulties, primarily attributable to the complex anatomy of the shoulder joint. Conservative treatment modalities most commonly include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and corticosteroid injections; however, these are limited by the potential for adverse effects on various organ systems. Intra-articular hyaluronic acid injections have been proposed as an alternative therapeutic approach for shoulder osteoarthritis. This article reports a case involving a female patient born in 1951 who presented with grade 2 post-traumatic omarthrosis (glenohumeral osteoarthritis) and class 1 functional insufficiency. The patient was treated with a highly adhesive 3% hyaluronic acid gel (molecular weight: 2.2 MDa), administered intra-articularly on two occasions with a 10-day interval, in conjunction with device-assisted mobilization exercises. Treatment resulted in complete pain resolution and a marked improvement in the range of motion in the affected joint, which the patient subjectively assessed as sufficient to restore an acceptable quality of life. KEYWORDS: osteoarthritis, glenohumeral joint, shoulder joint, hyaluronic acid, cohesive gel, intra-articular injections. FOR CITATION: Sertakova A.V. Efficacy of high-concentration intra-articular injections of hyaluronic acid in patients with glenohumeral osteoarthritis: case report. Russian Medical Inquiry. 2025;9(4):201–204 (in Russ.). DOI: 10.32364/2587-6821-2025-9-4-3