To study the effect of high-molecular-weight sodium hyaluronate on rabbit osteoarthrosis, which was made by immobilizing the temporomandibular joint.
18 common rabbits were equally divided into 2 experimental groups and 1 control group. After the rabbit temporomandibular joint were immobilized, 0.06 ml high-molecular-weight sodium hyaluronate were injected into the left TMJs while the same amount of physiological Saline into the right ones. The animals were terminated after 2 weeks and 4 weeks respectively. The whole bilateral TMJs were removed and histopathological and histochemical examinations were performed to evaluate the changes of articular cartilage and the content of glycansaminoglycan in articular cartilage.
There were severe osteoarthrotic changes in the right TMJs, whereas the changes in the left ones were slight. There was a significant difference between them (P < 0.01).
High-molecular-weight sodium hyaluronate can restrain the degenerative changes of the immobilized TMJs.