Hyperbaric oxygen treatment promotes tendon–bone interface healing in a rabbit model of rotator cuff tears

Abstract

Due to the high-intensity pressure that the shoulder cuff endures, it is prone to traumas and tears. The main critical function of the shoulder cuff muscles is to effectively facilitate shoulder movement and securely maintain the humeral head in the precise center of the joint cavity to prevent superior migration during abduction processes. Shoulder cuff injuries typically involve the muscle–tendon–bone interface, but existing repair techniques do not always guarantee complete and secure healing, leading to retears. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy, as an auxiliary treatment, can significantly promote the muscle–tendon–bone healing process. To explore the impact of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on the bone–tendon interface healing process in a rabbit model specifically designed for shoulder cuff tears, an experiment was conducted on New Zealand white rabbits by performing a full-thickness tear of the supraspinatus tendon in the left shoulder, followed by 2 hours per day of 100% oxygen treatment at 2 absolute atmospheres for 5 days. The results indicate that hyperbaric oxygen therapy significantly enhances vascularization at the interface between the shoulder cuff and tendon–bone, promotes collagen fiber regeneration in the tendon, improves the tensile strength of the tendon–bone complex, and does not have a significant effect on biomechanical stability. This suggests that hyperbaric oxygen therapy has a significant positive impact on the histological and biomechanical healing of shoulder cuff tears in rabbits, expediting the healing process of the tendon–bone interface.