hyaluronidase at a glance
Medicine class
Enzyme that modifies connective-tissue permeability
Usual role
Helps injected substances disperse and tissue fluid or blood be reabsorbed
Administration
Prepared and administered by a healthcare professional; it must not be injected intravenously
What is hyaluronidase used for?
The selected product is licensed to increase tissue permeability and promote absorption within tissues.
Enhancing the spread of subcutaneous or intramuscular injections and local anaesthetics.
Helping fluids given by subcutaneous infusion disperse.
Promoting reabsorption of excess tissue fluid or blood, including haematomas.
Selected extravasations where dispersal of leaked medicine is appropriate; this requires prompt specialist assessment.
Non-licensed aesthetic use: dissolving hyaluronic-acid dermal filler, including management of filler complications, under an appropriately trained clinician.
How does hyaluronidase work?
Hyaluronidase temporarily and reversibly breaks down hyaluronic acid in the material between cells. This reduces resistance in connective tissue, allowing fluids and injected substances to spread and be absorbed more readily.
How to take hyaluronidase
Hyaluronidase is administered by a healthcare professional rather than taken by mouth. The freeze-dried powder is prepared immediately before use and may be injected under the skin or into muscle, infiltrated locally, or incorporated into an appropriate injection or subcutaneous infusion. It must not be given intravenously.
The prepared solution should be clear and no more than faintly yellow.
Use immediately after preparation.
Each ampoule is for single use; discard unused solution.
hyaluronidase side effects
Common or expected effects
- Injection-site stinging or short-lived redness may occur during extravasation treatment.
- Local irritation, bruising, bleeding or infection have been reported but are described as rare in the product information.
- Swelling may occur when hyaluronidase is used with subcutaneous fluid infusion.
Get urgent medical advice
- Severe allergic reaction or anaphylaxis, with breathing difficulty, rapid pulse, profuse sweating, collapse or rapidly developing swelling.
- Swelling around the eyes has rarely occurred when hyaluronidase was combined with local anaesthetic during eye procedures.
hyaluronidase in pregnancy
Human pregnancy safety evidence is insufficient. The product information advises avoiding hyaluronidase during pregnancy unless no safer alternative is available; it must not be used for anaesthetic procedures in unexplained premature labour.
hyaluronidase while breastfeeding
It is unknown whether hyaluronidase enters breast milk. Harm to a breastfed infant is considered unlikely in the product information, but administration should still be considered cautiously with the prescriber.
hyaluronidase interactions
No conventional medicine interactions are listed, but important administration warnings and physical incompatibilities apply.
Dopamine and alpha-agonists, including clonidine
Hyaluronidase must not be used to enhance their absorption or dispersion.
Furosemide, benzodiazepines and phenytoin
These are physically incompatible with hyaluronidase and should not be mixed without validated compatibility information.
Heparin and adrenaline
Physical incompatibility has been reported; compatibility must be checked before mixing, although very low adrenaline concentrations have been used clinically.
Common questions about hyaluronidase
Answers are fully visible for fast scanning and source review.
What is hyaluronidase used for?
It increases tissue permeability so injections, local anaesthetics or subcutaneous fluids spread more readily, and it can help excess tissue fluid or blood be absorbed.
Can hyaluronidase be injected into a vein?
No. The selected product must not be administered by intravenous injection.
Is hyaluronidase used after extravasation?
Sources
These sources were used to prepare and review this medicine page.
Prepared and reviewed by the iatroX editorial team.