Atelocollagen Injection Improves Tendon Integrity in Partial-Thickness Rotator Cuff Tears: A Prospective Comparative Study

Abstract

Background: Ongoing controversy surrounds the best treatment modality for partial-thickness rotator cuff tears.Purpose: To investigate the effects of atelocollagen injection in patients with small, symptomatic, intratendinous rotator cuff tears.Study Design: Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1.

Effect of co-administration of atelocollagen and hyaluronic acid on rotator cuff healing

“…Histological and biomechanical studies in the rabbit model showed better results in the group that Proliferative phase Remodeling phase used atelocollagen to repair the rotator cuff tendon [7]. In a study by Kim et al [13], atelocollagen injection on human rotator cuff tendon tear was shown to improve the functional outcome and integrity of the tendon in intra-tendinous RCTs. Therefore, they suggested that type I atelocollagen injection is an optional treatment to delay tear progression and reduce tear size.…”

“…They introduced a bio-inducible collagen patch as a safe and effective treatment for cuff-healing of arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. However, several previously reported studies have cited several weaknesses, such as modeling in animals, small sample size, no control group, or studies involving only partial RCT [7,13,30].…”

“…Hyaluronic acid (HA) injection is used widely in patients with rotator cuff disease due to its anti-inflammatory and adhesion prevention activities [ 14 ]. In tendon-to-bone healing, inflammation can contribute to formation of fibrotic scar tissue interfaces rather than remodeling of normal tendon-bone insertion sites [ 15 ].…”

“…In several animal models, administration of atelocollagen to the site of rotator cuff tendon tear has led from early progression to better tendon healing and remodeling stages based on immunohistochemistry or histopathological analyses [6,7]. Kim et al [13] reported that atelocollagen injection could improve the functional outcome and integrity of tendons in human RCT.…”

Employing Extracellular Matrix-Based Tissue Engineering Strategies for Age-Dependent Tissue Degenerations

“…Protocols to produce atelocollagen with high purity at a faster speed have been developed in some studies [77]. In other studies, atelocollagen was used to treat tendons and periodontal tissues [78,79]. Additionally, some examples of improvement in collagen functions have been reported, including the enhancement in the ability of collagen to promote cell proliferation and anti-thrombogenic activity via conjugation with chondroitin sulfate.…”