Effect of kidney-tonifying recipe on tendon-bone healing after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:Kidney-tonifying herbs have been reported to promote tendon-bone healing in rabbits after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). OBJECTIVE:To verify the effects of kidney-tonifying herbs on tendon-bone healing after ACLR. METHODS:Seventy patients with anterior cruciate ligament injury undergoing ACLR were randomly assigned to study group (administration of Liuwei dihuang pil s+celecoxib) and control group (administration of celecoxib alone). Preoperative, postoperative 6-and 12-month assessments of patients by the Lysholm Knee Scoring Scale, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) Subjective Knee Form and MRI imaging were performed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Postoperative Lysholm scores were significantly increased compared with preoperation in the study and control groups (P<0.05), and the scores of sections stair-climbing and instability and total scores of the Lysholm Knee Scoring Scale in the study group were superior to those in the control group (P<0.05). Postoperative IKDC scores were significantly increased compared with pre-operation in the study and control groups (P<0.05), and the scores of section flaccid leg and subjective function and total scores of the IKDC in the study group were superior to the control group (P<0.05). The enlargement rate of middle and proximal parts of grafts was significantly increased in the study group compared with the control group 6 months postoperatively (P<0.05), and the enlargement rate of middle and distal parts of grafts was significantly increased in the study group compared with the control group 12 months postoperatively (P<0.05). The tibial and femoral tunnel enlargement was observed in both groups at 6 and 12 months postoperatively (P<0.05). The enlargement rate of the tibial tunnel was significantly decreased in the study group compared with in the control group (P<0.05). The signal-noise ratio of the femoral end and middle part of grafts in the study group was significantly higher than that in the control group 6 months postoperatively (P<0.01). In contrast, the signal-noise ratio of the femoral end and middle part of grafts in the study group was significantly lower than that in the control group 12 months postoperatively (P<0.05). Our results indicate that kidney-tonifying herbs can improve the tendon-bone healing after ACLR.