Effect of heparin on tendon degeneration: an experimental study on rats

Abstract

This study investigated the local effects of heparin on locally administered corticosteroid-induced experimental Achilles tendinitis. After performing Achilles degeneration, 28 rats were divided into two groups; one was treated with local heparin and the other with saline injections at 3 and 6-day intervals. The tendons and paratenons were excised after 60 or 75 days and evaluated histopathologically and statistically. Heparin-injected tendons and paratenons demonstrated significantly higher scores for most compared groups, thus worsening the degeneration. At the second part of the research, eight healthy tendons were injected with heparin at 3-day intervals for 1 month, and seven of them showed various degrees of degeneration. Heparin itself thus has a degenerative effect on the tendon and should not be used in the treatment of Achilles tendon degeneration.