The role of Na-hylan in reducing postsurgical tendon adhesions.

Na-hylan, a chemically modified sodium hyaluronate jelly, was studied mechanically and histologically as a surgical device to diminish tendon adhesion in the rabbit long toe extensor three weeks after surgical abrasion. This device was found to be highly effective (55% of treated tendons formed no adhesions compared to 5% of controls, and only 18% formed severe adhesions compared to 62% of controls). No gross or histologic evidence of significant acute or chronic inflammatory reaction to the Na-hylan was found.