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


CONCLUSIONS
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.
Wenz
W
W
Abteilung Orthopädie II-Schwerpunkt Rehabilitationsmedizin, Stiftung Orthopädische Universitätsklinik Heidelberg.
Graf
J
J
Brocai
D R
DR
Breusch
S J
SJ
Mittnacht
M
M
Thomas
O
O
Niethard
F U
FU
D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004285:Dogs; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007270:Injections, Intra-Articular; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D010018:Osteomalacia / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D010329:Patella / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology
D006820:Hyaluronic Acid