Ongoing Clinical Trials for Tendon Rupture
There is currently 1 ongoing clinical trial investigating new treatment approaches for tendon rupture, specifically focusing on improving healing outcomes after surgical repair. This trial is examining whether a medication used to strengthen bones can also help tendons heal better after surgery for chronic tears in the shoulder.
Clinical trial locations
Study on Zoledronic Acid for Healing After Rotator Cuff Surgery in Patients with Tendon Rupture and Osteoporosis
This trial is investigating whether a medication called Zoledronic Acid can help improve healing after surgery for a chronic rotator cuff tear in the shoulder. A rotator cuff tear involves damage to the tendons around the shoulder joint, which can happen due to injury or gradual wear over time.
Who can participate:
- Adults between 50 and 70 years old
- People who have a confirmed rotator cuff tear shown on an MRI scan taken within the last 6 months before surgery
- The tear should not be larger than 3 cm across
- Willingness to follow a specific physiotherapy program after surgery, which includes wearing a shoulder abduction pad for four weeks (this is a device that helps keep the shoulder in the right position while healing)
Who cannot participate:
- People who have had a traumatic injury causing the tendon rupture
- People who have osteoporosis, a condition where bones become weak and brittle
What the trial involves:
The main goal of this study is to find out whether Zoledronic Acid can improve how well the tendon heals after it has been surgically repaired using arthroscopic surgery. This is a type of minimally invasive surgery that uses small incisions and a tiny camera to guide the repair.
Participants will receive either Zoledronic Acid or a placebo through an infusion directly into the bloodstream. The healing process will be carefully monitored using MRI scans at different time points: six months, twelve months, two years, and five years after surgery. These scans will show whether the tendon has healed properly or if there has been a re-tear.
The study will also look at other important aspects of recovery, including the condition of the shoulder muscles, how well the shoulder can move, shoulder strength, and pain levels. These factors will be measured using various assessment scores to get a complete picture of how well the shoulder is recovering.
Investigational drug:
Zoledronic Acid is a medication that belongs to a group of drugs called bisphosphonates, which are commonly used to prevent bone loss. In this trial, researchers want to see if it can also help tendons heal better after repair surgery. The medication works by affecting bone cells in a way that prevents bone from breaking down too quickly.
Summary
Currently, there is one clinical trial available for patients with tendon rupture, specifically focusing on chronic rotator cuff tears in the shoulder. This trial is being conducted in Austria and represents an innovative approach to improving surgical outcomes by testing whether a bone-strengthening medication might also benefit tendon healing.
The trial is particularly focused on middle-aged to older adults who need surgical repair for their shoulder condition. The study takes a comprehensive approach by following patients for up to five years after surgery, which will provide valuable long-term information about healing and recovery.
Interestingly, the trial excludes patients with osteoporosis, even though Zoledronic Acid is commonly used to treat this bone condition. This suggests the researchers want to study the medication’s effects specifically on tendon healing without the complicating factor of existing bone disease.