title: Effects of different irrigation liquids and times on articular cartilage: an experimental, biomechanical study.
abstract: To characterize the suitability of different solutions [6% Dextran, 5% sorbitol (I); 5% fructose (II); 5% mannitol (III); Ringer's solution (IV)] for arthroscopy, bovine knee articular cartilage specimens (n = 52) were immersed for 0, 2, 4, or 20 h before indentation creep testing, known as a sensitive probe for tissue degeneration. Immersion in liquid I for up to 20 h produced significant softening of articular cartilage [p < 0.05, Friedman two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA)]. Liquids II-III produced no statistically significant changes in the deformational characteristics of articular cartilage. After 2 h of immersion in liquid IV deformation increased and remained elevated over the observation period (p < 0.05, Friedman two-way ANOVA). Based on these results, the first and most remarkable softening of cartilage took place with Ringer's solution as compared with nonionic solutions. Therefore, the nonionic solutions, such as 5% fructose or mannitol, may have potential for use as an irrigation liquid during arthroscopic procedures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, University of Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Jurvelin
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Jurvelin
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kiviranta
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Klauser
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001182:Arthroscopy / Q000379:methods; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D003911:Dextrans / Q000494:pharmacology; D005632:Fructose / Q000494:pharmacology; D007101:Immersion; D007552:Isotonic Solutions / Q000494:pharmacology; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008353:Mannitol / Q000494:pharmacology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D000077331:Ringer's Solution; D013012:Sorbitol / Q000494:pharmacology; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003911:Dextrans; D007552:Isotonic Solutions; D005632:Fructose; D008353:Mannitol; D013012:Sorbitol; D000077331:Ringer's Solution