Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Hyaluronate sodium is mainly used for the treatment of osteoarthritis; the traumatic arthritis after ankle fracture is mainly the degeneration of articular cartilage.
OBJECTIVE: To observe the therapeutic effect of hyaluronate sodium intra-articular injection on the treatment of traumatic arthritis after ankle fracture.
METHODS: Sixty patients with traumatic arthritis after ankle fracture were selected in the Department of Rehabilitation, Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical College from July 2009 to June 2011; the patients were treated with hyaluronate sodium intra-articular injection. The ankle pain, range of motion and traveled distance without pain were evaluated at 1 and 6 months after treatment.   
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Compared with pre-treatment, the visual analogue scale was significantly decreased (P < 0.01); the range of motion was increased, including angles of extensor expansion, plantar flexion, adduction, abduction, enstrophe (P < 0.01), as well as angles of extroversion (P < 0.05); traveled distance without pain was increased (P < 0.01). Hyaluronate sodium intra-articular injection can improve the clinical symptoms of traumatic arthritis after ankle fracture and the ankle function.