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Efficacy of Single-Dose Radiotherapy in Preventing Posttraumatic Tendon Adhesion
Cenk Ermutlu1, Tufan Kaleli2, Ulviye Yalcinkaya3
1Orthopaedics, Bursa Uludag University School of Medicine, Bursa, TUR.
Cureus
|July 7, 2020
Summary
Single-dose radiotherapy (RT) increased posttraumatic adhesions and inflammation in rabbit tendons, though it improved tenocyte nuclear morphology. Further studies are needed to find optimal RT doses for tendon healing.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Radiotherapy Research
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Posttraumatic peritendinous adhesions impede flexor tendon function after hand injuries.
- Intrasynovial tendon adhesions are a significant clinical challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of single-dose radiotherapy (RT) in modulating intrasynovial tendon adhesions.
- To assess the impact of RT on tendon healing quality and cellular morphology.
Main Methods:
- Utilized 80 flexor profundus tendons from 20 New Zealand rabbits.
- Administered a single 3 Gy dose of X-irradiation to the experimental group.
- Evaluated peritendinous adhesions using the Tang grading system and tendon healing with the Movin scale.
Main Results:
- Radiotherapy group exhibited significantly higher adhesion and inflammatory responses (p<0.001).
- Tendon healing in the RT group was more organized but not statistically significant.
- Tenocyte nuclei in the RT group showed greater resemblance to normal tendon tissue (p=0.007).
Conclusions:
- A 3 Gy single dose of X-irradiation increased posttraumatic adhesions and altered tenocyte nuclear morphology.
- RT demonstrated potential anti-inflammatory effects and uniform tissue penetration.
- Further research with varied dosing regimens and larger cohorts is essential to optimize RT for tendon healing without adverse effects.
