[Correlation between molecular parameters of hyaluronic acid and viscoelasticity of synovia].

The viscoelastic properties of hyaluronic acid solutions and synovial fluids were investigated by oscillating capillary rheology in a frequency range from 0.03 to 30 Hz. A clear dependency of these parameters, especially of the elastic component, on the molecular weight of the hyaluronic acid molecules was obtained. The addition of hyaluronic acid solutions to pathological synovial fluids improves the viscoelastic parameters depending on the applied dose. However, the rheological behavior of a "healthy synovial fluid" could not be reached by the procedure.