Therapeutic effect of hyaluronidase in experimental tubular necrosis of kidney.

Abstract Unilateral nephrectomy was performed in 93 rats which survived more than one day after the operation. The remaining kidney was subjected to total ischemia for 90 to 95 minutes. Seventy-one per cent mortality was observed in 44 controls which received up to 4.5 ml. saline intraperitoneally in divided doses during four and one-half days. The mortality was 28.5 per cent in 49 rats in which hyaluronidase (Wydase), 600 TRU per kilogram of body weight was added to each injection. The mechanism of this therapeutic effect is not apparent. The increased survival of the hyaluronidase-treated rats is statistically highly significant.