Hasan TATARI, Can KOSAY, Onder BARAN, Ozal OZCAN, Erdener OZER

Keywords: Achilles Tendon, Corticosteroids, Tendinitis.

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the pathologic changes in the Achilles tendon and its paratenon after intratendinous corticosteroid injections at different intervals and to reveal the effects of this drug on healthy tendon, and also to search the effects of these injections comparing to that of compression with a clamp on the Achilles tendons of the rats.Material and
Method: Fifty-two Achilles tendons of twenty-six male Vistar rats were included in the study to search the effects of intratendinous Betamethasone injections comparing that of compression with a clamp. Betamethasone injections were applied to the left tendons in different intervals, while the right tendons served for compression with Mosquito clamps in varied durations. At the end of 30 days, all tendons were excised and examined histopathologically according to a semiquantitative scoring system.
Results: Histopathologic evaluation showed some degree of degeneration in both groups. Statistical analysis showed no significant difference among two groups, but in macroscopic evaluation, the tendons in Betamethasone group demonstrated enlargement and strong adhesiveness to the subcutaneous tissue.
Discussion: It is concluded that intratendinous Betamethasone injections are as harmful as compression of it with a clamp and it can be used as a degeneration performing model in further studies. Enlargement of the tendon mass and strong adhesiveness to the subcutaneous tissue can be due to injection of the Betamethasone partly outside of tendon.