PhD Defence J. (Job) Hermans

In this thesis we showed that superateral approach is the most accurate way to administer an injection in the knee joint. In this approach the needle is entered in the knee joint from the outer-upper side of the kneecap into the knee joint. With this approach 91% of the injections is truly placed in the knee-joint.
A cost analysis in patients that are treated in the hospital for knee osteoarthritis shows that the monthly costs per patient associated with knee osteoarthritis are €817. Of these costs, 87% are productivity costs and 13% are medical costs.

The analyses from a randomized trial show that treatment of knee osteoarthritis with high molecular hyaluronic acid is effective in the reduction of pain and improvement of knee functioning.  This treatment leads to improvement of quality of life. The costs associated with this improvement of quality of life are acceptable according Dutch standards. The analyses show that the treatment is probably cost-effective. Treatment of knee osteoarthritis with hyaluronic acid is associated with a higher risk on local adverse events of the knee, like transient redness, pain and swelling. This risk is associated with certain product characteristics of the hyaluronic acid product used.

Due to corona, the PhD defences do not take place publicly in the usual way in the Senate Hall of the Professor Andries Querido Room. The candidates will defens their dissertation either in a small group or online.