London Cartilage Clinic IconLondon Cartilage Clinic
Professor Paul YF LeeReviewed byProfessor Paul YF LeeCartilage and joint preservation expertise
Last reviewed 20 August 2026Last updated 20 August 2026
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UNDERSTAND YOUR OPTIONS

Arthrosamid vs steroid injection

Compare short-term inflammation relief with a non-absorbable hydrogel approach, and what each involves in practice.

NON-ABSORBABLE HYDROGEL

Arthrosamid

HydrogelJoint liningSymptom management

A polyacrylamide hydrogel that integrates with the joint lining. Intended for knee osteoarthritis symptom management.

Anti-inflammatory medicine

Steroid injection

SteroidAnti-inflammatory medicinePrepared for a joint injection
InflammationCorticosteroidShort-term role

A corticosteroid injection is used for short-term control of inflammation and symptoms. Timing and repeat treatment need clinical review.

THE KEY DIFFERENCE

Arthrosamid® vs Steroid Injection — the key difference

The core difference is mechanism and intended role. Steroid injections work pharmacologically to reduce inflammation and are generally used for selected short-term aims. Arthrosamid® is a non-absorbable material intended for symptomatic adult knee osteoarthritis. Neither mechanism supplies an individual response or duration guarantee.

01

HOW IT WORKS

Two approaches to the same problem

Arthrosamid

HydrogelJoint liningSymptom management

Arthrosamid® is a polyacrylamide hydrogel injected into the knee joint under ultrasound guidance. The gel integrates into the synovial membrane and is intended to remain in the joint. It is not regenerative.

A steroid damps inflammation chemically for a few weeks. Arthrosamid® instead becomes part of the synovium and changes how that lining behaves over the long term: less irritable, less tight. It is not a lubricant and it adds nothing between the joint surfaces.

Steroid injection

SteroidAnti-inflammatory medicinePrepared for a joint injection
InflammationCorticosteroidShort-term role

Corticosteroid injections deliver a potent anti-inflammatory (typically methylprednisolone or triamcinolone) directly into the joint. The injection rapidly damps the inflammatory response and the symptoms it produces — pain, swelling and stiffness.

The drug is gradually metabolised over weeks to months, after which the effect tapers off.

02

LOOKING AHEAD

What can you expect over time?

Arthrosamid

24-month study follow-up
An observation period, not a duration guarantee

Observed to 24 months

The prospective observational cohort reports group-level outcomes through 24 months. With no randomised control group, it cannot prove causation or guarantee individual duration.

Steroid injection

Response and duration vary
Agree what to expect and when to review

Weeks to months

Steroid response is generally short term, with substantial variation between patients. Repeat treatment requires review of the diagnosis, previous response, timing and cumulative risks rather than a promised schedule.

Repeated steroid injections in the same joint require consideration of cumulative concerns, including cartilage and tendon health. That does not make Arthrosamid automatically better.

03

YOUR TREATMENT PLAN

What does the course involve?

Arthrosamid

  1. 01Clinical assessment
  2. 02Injection appointment
  3. 03Six-week review

One injection is the standard treatment course in suitable patients. Most cases are treated with a single box per joint, delivered as an outpatient appointment.

Steroid injection

  1. 01Agree the course
  2. 02Injection appointment(s)
  3. 03Review your response

A steroid injection can sometimes be repeated, but frequency is decided individually after reviewing diagnosis, previous response, medical history and cumulative risks.

04

CARE & PRECAUTIONS

Understanding the risks

BEFORE · DURING · AFTERPrecautions.
Clear advice.
Ongoing support.
Understand the pathway around the treatment.

Both treatments are delivered under ultrasound guidance at London Cartilage Clinic. The most serious shared risk includes joint infection. Beyond infection, each treatment has its own risk profile. Ultrasound guidance and sterile technique do not eliminate risk.

Corticosteroid injections carry small risks of post-injection flare in the days after the injection, fat-pad atrophy at the injection site, transient blood-sugar rise (relevant for diabetic patients), and concerns about cumulative cartilage and tendon effects from repeated use in the same joint.

Arthrosamid® is non-absorbable and intended to remain in the joint, so a serious infection may be harder to manage than for steroid. This is why we use routine IV antibiotic cover for Arthrosamid® specifically. See Arthrosamid® infection risk and prevention and Arthrosamid® side effects and safety.

05

YOUR KNEE, YOUR GOALS

Where does each option fit?

A consultation to discuss the right approach for your knee
Your symptoms, scans and goals guide the decision.

Steroid injections suit patients with short-term flares of knee osteoarthritis, those who need symptom relief ahead of a specific event (a planned holiday, a wedding, a return to activity), and those for whom a longer-acting injection is not appropriate.

Arthrosamid® may be discussed with patients who have established knee osteoarthritis and are willing to consider a non-absorbable single-injection option, while understanding it is not proved to delay surgery. Neither treatment is a substitute for knee replacement where replacement is clinically appropriate. See who is suitable for Arthrosamid?.

06

PLANNING THE COST

Compare the complete care package

Published London Cartilage Clinic prices. Compare the recommended care plan as well as the price of one procedure.

HYDROGEL INJECTION

Arthrosamid

From · one box£3,000

Two boxes £5,500; three boxes £8,000. Consultation £350 separately.

Full Arthrosamid pricing →

SINGLE INJECTION / PROCEDURE

Steroid ± aspiration

LCC published price£900

Includes clinic and doctor’s fees, ultrasound, consumables, equipment and one follow-up with the doctor.

LCC injection prices and inclusions →

The Arthrosamid package

At London Cartilage Clinic, Arthrosamid® costs from £3,000 for one box , inclusive of ultrasound, the product, the fifteen-step injection protocol and the six-week follow-up, with the consultation (£350) charged separately. See the Arthrosamid® cost guide for full pricing.

Budget for the agreed plan

Steroid injections generally have a lower price per dose. Compare the actual recommended treatment, inclusions, expected role and cumulative clinical concerns rather than assuming repeat timing or a particular Arthrosamid duration.

Confirm the number of procedures, any assessment fees and the complete written quote before deciding. A per-procedure price is not a promise about the number of treatments you will need.

Published LCC injection prices checked 29 October 2026. Your clinical assessment confirms the appropriate treatment and plan.

07

MAKING A RECOMMENDATION

When each option may make sense

Arthrosamid

A discussion to have

You have established knee osteoarthritis with mild-to-moderate cartilage wear.

You want to discuss a non-absorbable single-injection option rather than assuming a repeat steroid schedule.

You understand that symptom management is not proved to delay surgery and accept the product-specific safety protocol.

Steroid injection

A discussion to have

Short-term flare control for symptomatic knee osteoarthritis.

Symptom relief ahead of a specific event (a planned trip, a procedure, return to a specific activity).

As a diagnostic tool, where the response to a single steroid injection helps clarify the source of pain before committing to a longer-acting option.

08

CHOOSING ANOTHER PATH

When another approach may be better

Arthrosamid

A reason to reconsider

End-stage bone-on-bone arthritis where Arthrosamid® is unlikely to deliver meaningful benefit.

Active infection or unwillingness to accept the conservative safety protocol.

Unrealistic expectation of cure, regeneration or guaranteed permanent relief.

Steroid injection

A reason to reconsider

Patients already repeating steroid need a review of diagnosis, benefit and cumulative risk; this does not automatically make Arthrosamid the better answer.

Poorly controlled diabetes, where the blood-sugar effect is a meaningful concern.

Where prior steroid injections have not delivered useful benefit, repeating is unlikely to be the right next step.

Discussing the right knee treatment with a clinician
YOUR KNEE. YOUR DECISION.

Bring the comparison back to you

Steroid injection and Arthrosamid® are tools for different jobs. Steroid is for selected short-term aims ; Arthrosamid® is a non-absorbable single-injection option. Where a patient is on a pattern of repeating steroid, the diagnosis, prior response, cumulative steroid concerns and Arthrosamid evidence limits all need review. Neither is automatically better. The choice is made at consultation with imaging review.

Arthrosamid® vs Steroid Injection

Prepare for an assessment →
YOUR QUESTIONS

Common questions, clear answers

Is Arthrosamid® better than a cortisone injection?

Not automatically. Arthrosamid has observational outcomes reported through 24 months; steroid has a different, often shorter-term role. Evidence, risks, previous response and the clinical aim decide which is appropriate. They are tools for different jobs.

Can I have Arthrosamid® after a steroid injection?

Prior steroid is not automatically a contraindication, but the interval and suitability depend on the diagnosis, injection date, response, current symptoms and infection risk. Timing is agreed at consultation rather than using a universal rule.

How many steroid injections can I have in the same knee?

There is no safe universal number for this page to prescribe. Frequency should be agreed with the treating clinician after considering the diagnosis, previous response, timing, diabetes and cumulative cartilage and tendon concerns.

Is steroid safer than Arthrosamid®?

The treatments have different risk profiles. Steroid carries corticosteroid-specific risks (post-injection flare, fat-pad atrophy, blood-sugar rise, cumulative concerns with repeated use). Arthrosamid® is non-absorbable and intended to remain in the joint, so infection management is more complex if it does occur — which is why we use routine IV antibiotic cover for Arthrosamid® specifically.

Are steroid injections available on the NHS?

Steroid injections may be available through NHS pathways where clinically appropriate; local access varies. Arthrosamid® is not routinely funded by the NHS. See the Arthrosamid® self-pay and payment page for detail.

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