The changes in the surface of articular cartilage of femoral condyle from rabbits were evaluated after degenerative changes were made by the technique advocated by Hulth. The medial collateral and both cruciate ligaments were excised, and a medial menisectomy was done. Then the right knee joint was injected with 1 ml of Na-hyaluronate gel every two weeks. The animals were sacrificed at two, four, six, eight, or sixteen weeks postoperatively. After sacrifice, the medial femoral condyle was excised and prepared for the light microscopic and scanning electron microscopic study. At eight to sixteen weeks, there were chondrocyte clones with clefts to the radial zone and increased loss of the height of articular cartilage on the control side; but, on theexperimental side there was a significant delay and lessening of the arthriticresponse. The biocompatibility and the protective effect of joint degeneration of this device make this material a valuable adjuvant in the treatment ofosteoarthritis and the traumatized joints.
Animals ; Cartilage, Articular/drug effects/ultrastructure ; Disease Models, Animal ; Gels ; Hyaluronic Acid/*therapeutic use ; Knee Joint/drug effects/ultrastructure ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Osteoarthritis/*prevention & control ; Rabbits ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't