The Effect of Liquid Nitrogen Administration on the Number of Chondrocytes in Male Rattus norvegicus of Wistar Strain

Introduction: This study investigates the impact of liquid nitrogen administration on histology and chondrocyte count in experimental animal cartilage, highlighting the limited benefits of cryosurgery on cartilage, a common treatment in orthopedics and skeletal muscle injuries. Methods: The research design in this study was a random sampling experimental test on white male rats (Rattus norvegicus). Experimental animals that met the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into four groups: the control group and three groups that received different durations of liquid nitrogen administration (one, five, and ten minutes). Furthermore, an evaluation of the histology and the number of chondrocytes of the experimental animals was carried out and analyzed by statistical tests using SPSS 26.0. Results: The One-way ANOVA analysis showed a significant difference in chondrocytes in the liquid nitrogen group compared to the control group. Furthermore, the results of the Tukey test showed that giving liquid nitrogen for 5 minutes and 10 minutes significantly reduced the number of chondrocytes in experimental animals. There was a negative correlation between liquid nitrogen administration and chondrocytes duration. Discussion: Mechanical destruction of cells, including chondrocytes, occurs because the extreme temperature differences of liquid nitrogen can freeze the cells, becoming an ice crystal that can impair the physical structure of cells and membranes. Conclusion: Liquid nitrogen administration significantly impacts chondrocyte levels in Rattus norvegicus strain cartilage, with duration negatively correlated with chondrocyte levels, suggesting a decrease with longer administration. Keywords: cryosurgery, chondrocytes, neoplasm