We studied the effects of repeated intra-articular injections of sterile 140 mM NaCl solution on articular cartilage in adult rabbits. After 20 injections into the knee joints over a period of 4 weeks, chondrocyte glucosaminoglycan synthesis was evenly reduced in all cartilage layers, accompanied by a significant proteoglycan depletion of the matrix which was most marked in the superficial half of the cartilage. ⋯ Our data underline the need for a clear-cut indication for intra-articular injections. The microtrauma caused by injection, in conjunction with the introduction of a carrier solution into the joint, may, at least when repeated at short intervals, lead to measurable damage to the articular cartilage.
Klinik und Poliklinik für Orthopädie, Universität zu Köln, FRG.
Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 1992 Jan 1; 111 (4): 237-41.
AbstractWe studied the effects of repeated intra-articular injections of sterile 140 mM NaCl solution on articular cartilage in adult rabbits. After 20 injections into the knee joints over a period of 4 weeks, chondrocyte glucosaminoglycan synthesis was evenly reduced in all cartilage layers, accompanied by a significant proteoglycan depletion of the matrix which was most marked in the superficial half of the cartilage. These and other changes only partially reversed during a further 4-week period after the injections had been stopped. Our data underline the need for a clear-cut indication for intra-articular injections. The microtrauma caused by injection, in conjunction with the introduction of a carrier solution into the joint, may, at least when repeated at short intervals, lead to measurable damage to the articular cartilage.