Objective: The use of food supplements to enhance tendon healing is increasing. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical and radiological effects of mucopolygen complex (MPC) in patients who underwent arthroscopic full-thickness supraspinatus tear repair (ASR).
Methods: Forty-six patients with ASR were divided into two groups: one receiving MPC and the other serving as a control. At 1-year follow-up, ultrasound was used to assess the supraspinatus tendon for integrity, pathology, and maximum swelling thickness. Joint function and pain were evaluated preoperatively and at follow-up using physical examination, The University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) shoulder scale, and visual analog scale (VAS).
Results: Pathologies in the supraspinatus tendon were found in 26.1% of patients in the MPC group compared with 60.9% in the control group, a statistically significant difference (p=0.017). However, the mean tendon thickness did not significantly differ between the groups (5.11 mm in MPC vs. 3.87 mm in control). No significant differences were observed in pain, function, or patient satisfaction between the groups based on the UCLA and VAS scores.
Conclusion: Although MPC did not affect pain or functional outcomes in ASR patients, the lower incidence of radiological tendon pathologies and the trend toward greater tendon thickness in the MPC group suggest that MPC may promote better tendon healing. This finding supports previous findings that MPC may be beneficial for tendon repair.