[Effectiveness of intra-articular application of hyaluronic acid on early forms of femoropatellar arthrosis--an experimental study in dogs].

Abstract

PURPOSE:

We investigated the effects of intraarticularly applied hyaluronic acid on the cartilage-integrity with early-forms of retropatellar cartilage degeneration (chondromalacia patellae) in dogs.

METHODS:

We used the Pond-Nuki model (tenotomy and resection of the anterior cruciate ligament = ACL) in 27 dogs (foxhounds) (3 groups of 9 animals) PILOT STUDY: ACL-tenotomy and resection, no therapy, specimens retrieval after 3, 6, 12 weeks (3 animals each period). VERUM: ACL-tenotomy and resection, hyaluronic acid (start after 3, 6, 12 weeks), 5 injections in 4 weeks, specimens retrieval after 5 weeks following final injection (12, 15, 21 weeks postoperatively, 3 dogs each period). PLACEBO: same procedure as verum, but saline-injections. Specimens were taken from the medial/lateral patellar pole from both, the operated and the normal knee and examined histologically using various staining methods (HE, Azan, Toluidin, Masson-Goldner, Safranin-O). A modified Mankin score was used to grade cartilage degeneration.

RESULTS:

Our results demonstrate that the Pond-Nuki model is suitable to experimentally induce chondromalacia patellae. There were significantly less degenerative cartilage changes in the knees treated with hyaluronic acid compared to the placebo-group.

CONCLUSION:

Our results let assume that hyaluronic acid could be indicated i.e. after arthroscopically diagnosed early cartilage-degeneration, the final conclusions concerning the actual mechanisms and therapeutical effectiveness need however further prospective clinical and experimental investigations.

• Authors: W Wenz, J Graf, D R Brocai, S J Breusch, M Mittnacht, O Thomas, F U Niethard
• Journal: Zeitschrift fur Orthopadie und ihre Grenzgebiete (Z Orthop Ihre Grenzgeb) 1998 Jul-Aug Vol. 136 Issue 4 Pg. 298-303 ISSN: 0044-3220 [Print] Germany
• Vernacular Title: Wirksamkeit von intraartikulär applizierter Hyaluronsäure auf Frühformen der Femoropatellararthrose--Eine experimentelle Untersuchung an Hunden.
• PMID: 9795430 (Publication Type: English Abstract, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Hyaluronic Acid

Topics

• Animals
• Disease Models, Animal
• Dogs
• Hyaluronic Acid (administration & dosage)
• Injections, Intra-Articular
• Knee Joint (drug effects, pathology)
• Osteoarthritis, Knee (pathology, therapy)
• Osteomalacia (pathology, therapy)
• Patella (drug effects, pathology)