Faster Repair With Plasma Irradiation Treatment For Ruptured Achilles Tendon

The Achilles tendon is the largest ligament in the human body, some consider it to be the toughest ligament. However, the tendon can rupture, and many sports enthusiasts experience such injuries. This injury may require surgery followed by a long period of rest, and immobilization, and the treatment can be difficult to endure. Seeking to shorten recovery, researchers focussed on using non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma therapy to achieve their goal. 

This is believed to be the first study to demonstrate that such plasma irradiation can accelerate tendon repair. The sutured Achilles tendon area was irradiated with a helium plasma jet for one group of rats and the other group received standard care as controls. Animals in the plasma-irradiated group exhibited faster tendon regeneration and increased strength at two, four, and six weeks after surgery compared to the untreated controls. 

"We have previously discovered that irradiation of non-thermal atmospheric-pressure plasma has the effect of promoting bone regeneration. In this study, we discovered that the technology also promotes tendon regeneration and healing, showing that it has applications for a wide range of fields," Associate Professor Hiromitsu Toyoda declared. "Combined with current tendon treatments, it is expected to contribute to more reliable tendon regeneration and shorter treatment time."