Platelet Rich Plasma Treatment


Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is generically defined as an increase (above baseline) in the concentration of platelets and their associated growth factors. While the clinical benefits of PRP in enhancing the healing of musculoskeletal tissues are still bring explored, the substantial amount of basic science data supporting the role of growth factors in enhancing cell migration, cell proliferation, and matrix synthesis has provided a compelling rationale for use of PRP in the treatment and repair of various connective tissue structures.

What conditions can be treated with PRP?

Knee Pain
     Patellar tendonitis/tendinosis
     Quadriceps muscle injuries
     Ligament sprains or tears
     Bursitis
 
Hip Pain
     Hip girdle muscle pain or injury
     Pyriformis syndrome
     Greater trochanteric Bursitis
     Ischial bursitis
     Pubic symphysis pain
     Sacroiliac joint pain
     Hamstring tendonitis or tears
 
Shoulder and Arm Pain
     Rotator Cuff tendonitis, tendonopathy or partial tears
     Acromio-clavicular joint pain or arthritis
     Bicipital tendonitis
     Medial and Lateral epicondylitis (golfers & tennis elbow)
     Ulnar Collateral Ligament sprain or tear
 
Back Pain
     Spinal nerve inflammation
     Facet Joint arthritis
     Disc herniation or tear
     Interspinous ligament sprain
 
Lower Leg and Foot
     Plantar Fasciitis
     Shin Splints
     Peroneal tendonitis
     Ankle sprains
     Achilles tendonitis or partial tears

Treatment Process

Blood is drawn from your arm and placed in a special processing unit, which separates platelets, white blood cells and serum from red blood cells. The platelets and white blood cells are then concentrated and collected into a sterile syringe. Some of the blood is used to create an "activator" of the PRP. The skin and soft tissue is anesthetized with local anesthetic, followed by injection of both the PRP and activator into the tissue targeted for treatment. Depending on the size of the injured tissue, one or several needles are inserted to optimize placement of the PRP.  
Research and clinical data show that PRP injections are extremely safe, with minimal risk for any adverse reaction or complication. Because PRP is produced from your own blood, there is no concern for rejection or disease transmission. There is a small risk of infection from any injection into the body, but this is rare.

Is Platelet-Rich Plasma an Effective Healing Therapy?

Athletes such as Tiger Woods and the Pittsburgh Steelers's Hines Ward have undergone platelet-rich plasma therapy, but is there evidence that the treatment really speeds the healing of injuries?
more>

Platelet Rich Plasma Accelerates Healing

Research Reveals that Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Accelerates Healing
By N. Lindsay Harris, MD
Aspen Orthopaedics Associates & Aspen Sports Medicine Foundation (ASMF)
Presented at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons in Las Vegas.
more>

Platelet Rich Plasma Is Promising

The first U.S. study to call out Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) as a viable treatment option for managing knee osteoarthritis, appeared in the December 2010 issue of the American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. There were 14 study participants with primary and secondary knee osteoarthritis. They received platelet rich plasma injections in the affected knee every 4 weeks and had a 1 year follow-up.
The study showed that there was significant improvement in pain and function -- and most of the patients offered a positive report after 1 year of using platelet rich plasma. Once used primarily for famous athletes, PRP is making its way into the mainstream. These results suggest the need for a larger clinical trial.
more>

Research Currenlty Bring Conducted

Platelet Rich Plasma Accelerates Healing by N. Lindsay Harris, MD

Platelet Rich Plasma and Its Efficacy in Rotator Cuff Repairs
A Prospective Clinical Study by Ferdinand Liotta, MD

Source

Thank you to about.com for providing some of the information on this page. About.com is website created by a medical review board that closely reviews information for medical accuracy and consistency with source material.  The source of this material was the American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and Ortho Super Site.