METHODS: This was an in vivo study with quasi-experimental methods on 32 Wistar mice. Full-thickness wounds were made and then treated with mitomicyn-C. The mice were divided into 4 groups: a control group with NaCl 0.9% vitreous gel of cow eyeball (VGCE), 1% povidone-iodine, and a combination of VGCE and 1% povidone-iodine groups. Macroscopic and microscopic observations of the process of wound healing were performed on days 3, 7, and 14.
RESULTS: Vitreous gel administration produced significant wound healing rates within the first three days, and histological analysis revealed an increased number of fibroblasts and polymorphonuclear cells. However, the povidone iodine group and the combination group with vitreous gel did not produce significant results.
CONCLUSION: The single administration of VGCE can accelerate the wound healing process, increase the number of fibroblasts, and reduce inflammation in a chronic wound model.
METHODS: This is a dual-center randomized controlled trial (RCT). Sixty-nine patients aged 18 to 55 years with International Cartilage Repair Society grade 3 and 4 chondral lesions (size ≥3 cm2) of the knee joint were randomized equally into (1) a control group receiving intra-articular injections of HA plus physiotherapy and (2) an intervention group receiving arthroscopic subchondral drilling into chondral defects and postoperative intra-articular injections of PBSCs plus HA. The coprimary efficacy endpoints were subjective International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) and Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS)-pain subdomain measured at month 24. The secondary efficacy endpoints included all other KOOS subdomains, Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), and Magnetic Resonance Observation of Cartilage Repair Tissue (MOCART) scores.
RESULTS: At 24 months, the mean IKDC scores for the control and intervention groups were 48.1 and 65.6, respectively (P < .0001). The mean for KOOS-pain subdomain scores were 59.0 (control) and 86.0 (intervention) with P < .0001. All other KOOS subdomain, NRS, and MOCART scores were statistically significant (P < .0001) at month 24. Moreover, for the intervention group, 70.8% of patients had IKDC and KOOS-pain subdomain scores exceeding the minimal clinically important difference values, indicating clinical significance. There were no notable adverse events that were unexpected and related to the study drug or procedures.
CONCLUSIONS: Arthroscopic marrow stimulation with subchondral drilling into massive chondral defects of the knee joint followed by postoperative intra-articular injections of autologous PBSCs plus HA is safe and showed a significant improvement of clinical and radiologic scores compared with HA plus physiotherapy.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level I, RCT.