BACKGROUND: Scar tissue formation is the major cause of failure in peripheral nerve surgery. Use of a hyaluronic acid-carboxymethylcellulose (HA-CMC) membrane (Seprafilm) as a solid anti-adhesion barrier agent is one of the therapeutic approaches to reduce postoperative scar tissue formation. However, a solid membrane may not be suitable for repair of a weak peripheral nerve site. This study examined the effect of HA-CMC solution on perineural scar formation after peripheral nerve repair in rats. METHODS: The sciatic nerves of 40 rats were transected and then immediately repaired using 10-0 nylon. The nerves were divided randomly into two groups. Saline and HA-CMC solution were applied topically to the nerve repair sites in the control and experimental groups, respectively. Reoperation was performed at 3, 6, 9, and 12 weeks to assess scar tissue formation. The assessment included the quality of wound healing, presence of perinueral adhesion, cellular components of the scar tissue, thickness of the scar tissue and histomorphological organization of the repair site. RESULTS: Topical application of the HA-CMC solution significantly decreased the macroscopic nerve adherence score and the numbers of the cellular components such as fibroblasts and inflammatory cells (p < 0.05, Mann-Whitney U-test). The scar tissue formation index was significantly lower in the experimental group at 12 weeks than that in the control group (p < 0.05, Mann-Whitney U-test). The grading scores of the histomorphological axonal organization at the repair site were significantly higher in the experimental group than those in the control group at 12 weeks (p < 0.05, Mann-Whitney U-test). No evidence of wound dehiscence or inflammatory reactions against the HA-CMC solution was noted. CONCLUSIONS: Topical application of a HA-CMC solution is effective in reducing the perineural scar formation and adhesion after sciatic nerve repair in rats, and is effective in promoting peripheral nerve regeneration at the repair site.
Animals ; Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium/therapeutic use ; Cicatrix/*prevention & control ; Drug Combinations ; Hyaluronic Acid/*therapeutic use ; *Membranes, Artificial ; Postoperative Complications/*prevention & control ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sciatic Nerve/*surgery ; Solutions

BACKGROUND: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) may cause infections during wound dressing. We aimed to compare the antibacterial activities and wound-healing effects of commercially available silver-coated or silver-impregnated wound dressings on MRSA-infected wounds. METHODS: Full-thickness skin defects were made on the back of rats (N=108) and were infected with MRSA. The rats were divided into the following 6 groups according to the dressing used for the wounds: nanocrystalline silver (Acticoat(R)), silver carboxymethylcellulose (Aquacel(R)-Ag), silver sulfadiazine (Medifoam silver(R)), nanocrystalline silver (PolyMem silver(R)), silver sulfadiazine (Ilvadon(R)), and 10% povidone iodide (Betadine(R)). We analyzed the wound sizes, histological findings, and bacterial colony counts for the groups. We also inoculated the silver materials on Mueller-Hinton agar plates containing MRSA and compared the inhibition zones in the agar plates. RESULTS: The order of the rate of wound-size decrease was Acticoat(R)>Aquacel(R)-Ag>PolyMem silver(R)>Medifoam silver(R)>Ilvadon(R)>Betadine(R). The histological findings revealed that the Acticoat(R) showed more reepithelialization and granulation tissue formation and less inflammatory cell infiltration than the other materials. The order of the time required for wound healing was Acticoat(R)>Aquacel (R)-Ag>PolyMem silver(R)>Ilvadon(R)>Medifoam silver(R)>Betadine(R). The bacterial colony counts reduced in all the groups, except in the Medifoam silver(R) group. The order of the size of the inhibition zone was Acticoat(R)>Aquacel(R)-Ag>Ilvadon(R)>PolyMem silver(R)>Betadine(R)>Medifoam silver(R). CONCLUSIONS: Silver-coated or silver-impregnated wound dressings can be used for treating MRSAinfected wounds. Considering its superior efficacy in comparison to the efficacies of other silver-coated or silver-impregnated wound dressings, Acticoat(R) should be preferentially used for the treatment of MRSA-infected skin wounds.
Animals ; Bandages ; Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium/therapeutic use ; Female ; Metal Nanoparticles/therapeutic use ; *Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Povidone-Iodine/therapeutic use ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Silver/chemistry/*therapeutic use ; Silver Sulfadiazine/therapeutic use ; Skin/pathology ; Staphylococcal Infections/*drug therapy/pathology ; Wound Healing/*drug effects

BACKGROUND: Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair generally has a good clinical outcome but shoulder stiffness after surgery due to subacromial adhesion is one of the most common and clinically important complications. Sodium hyaluronate (HA) has been reported to be an anti-adhesive agent in a range of surgical procedures. However, there are few reports of the outcomes of arthroscopic rotator cuff repair of the shoulder. This study examined whether a subacromial injection of HA/carboxymethylated cellulose (CMC) affected the postoperative shoulder stiffness and healing of rotator cuff repair, as well as the safety of an injection. METHODS: Between January 2008 and May 2008, 80 consecutive patients with arthroscopic rotator cuff repair were enrolled. The patients were assigned randomly to the HA/CMC injection group (n = 40) or control group (n = 40). All patients were evaluated using the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, passive range of motion at 2, 6 weeks, 3, 6, 12 months after surgery, and the functional scores at 6, 12 months postoperatively. Cuff healing was also evaluated using CT arthrography or ultrasonography at 6 or 12 months after surgery. RESULTS: The HA/CMC injection group showed faster recovery of forward flexion at 2 weeks postoperatively than the control group but the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.09). There were no significant difference in pain VAS, internal rotation, external rotation and functional scores between two groups at each follow-up period. The functional scores improved 6 months after surgery in both groups but there were no differences between the two groups. The incidence of unhealed rotator cuff was similar in the two groups. There were no complications related to an injection of anti-adhesive agents including wound problems or infections. CONCLUSIONS: A subacromial injection of an anti-adhesive agent after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair tended to produce faster recovery in forward flexion with no adverse effects on cuff healing. However, its anti-adhesive effects after rotator cuff repair should be considered carefully with further studies.
Adult ; Aged ; Arthroscopy/*adverse effects/*methods ; Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium ; Drug Carriers ; Female ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid/adverse effects/*therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pain ; Prospective Studies ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Recovery of Function ; Rotator Cuff/injuries/*surgery ; Shoulder Joint/physiology ; Tissue Adhesions/*prevention & control ; Treatment Outcome ; Viscosupplements/adverse effects/*therapeutic use