Can Hyaluronidase Be an Alternative Postoperative Anti-edema Agent to Dexamethasone? Preliminary Results of an Animal Study.

PURPOSE

Recombinant human hyaluronidase (rHuPH20) is widely used as a spreading factor, which enhances the absorption of subcutaneously injected medicines. The anti-inflammatory and anti-edema effects of the enzyme were demonstrated in previous studies. In the present study, the anti-edema effect of rHuPH20 was compared with that of dexamethasone in a traumatic rat paw edema model.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley rats (weight 200 to 450 g) were divided into 3 groups: control (group 1), rHuPH20 (group 2), and dexamethasone (group 3). Traumatic edema was induced in the right hind paws of the rats using Feeney's weight-drop model. After edema induction, 0.4 mL of rHuPH20 (100 U/kg = 0.88 μg/kg dose) and 0.4 mL of dexamethasone (0.5 mg/kg dose) were injected into the right hind paws of the rats in groups 2 and 3. The paw volumes were measured before edema induction and at 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours after induction using a plethysmometer. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for the statistical analyses. Probabilities < .05 were accepted as statistically significant.

RESULTS

The between percentage change in the edema mean values of groups 1 and 3 showed no significant difference at all time points; however, group 2 showed significantly less change in the edema mean values at 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours after edema induction (P < .05) compared with group 1. The change in the edema mean value for group 2 was significantly less than that for group 3 at 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours after edema induction (P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Local rHuPH20 injection more effectively reduced the edema that was induced traumatically in rat paws than did dexamethasone. However, further clinical studies are needed regarding the use of rHuPH20 as a postoperative anti-edema agent in place of dexamethasone.