Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) has been used by hospitals for surgical applications since the 1970s. Now, due to recent advancements in technology, the treatment has now become available to sports medicine clinics across the globe.
What is Platelet Rich Plasma?
Platelet Rich Plasma or PRP is blood plasma (your own blood) with concentrated platelets. The concentrated platelets found in PRP contain huge reservoirs of bioactive proteins, including growth factors that are vital to initiate and accelerate tissue repair and regeneration. These bioactive proteins initiate connective tissue healing, bone regeneration and repair, promote development of new blood vessels and stimulate the healing process.
PRP therapy offers a promising solution to accelerate healing of tendon injuries and osteoarthritis naturally without subjecting the patient to significant risk. PRP is an emerging treatment in a new health sector known as "Orthobiologics." The philosophy is to merge cutting edge technology with the body's natural ability to heal itself.
How Does PRP Therapy Work?
To prepare PRP, a small amount of blood is taken from the patient. The blood is then placed in a centrifuge. The centrifuge spins and automatically produces the PRP. The entire process takes less than 15 minutes and increases the concentration of platelets and growth factors up to 500%.
When PRP is injected—precisely guided by a state-of-the-art 4D Ultrasound unit—into the damaged area it stimulates the tendon or ligament causing mild inflammation that triggers the healing cascade. As a result new collagen begins to develop. As this collagen matures it begins to shrink causing tightening and strengthening if the tendons or ligaments of the damaged area.
Is PRP Right For Me?
If you have tendon or ligament injury and traditional methods have not provided relief, then PRP may be the solution. The procedure is far less aggressive than traditional invasive surgery. It will heal tissue with minimal or no scaring and alleviates further degeneration of tissue. There will be an initial evaluation with the specialist to see if PRP is right for you.
What Are The Benefits?
Patients can see significant improvement in symptoms. This may eliminate the need for more aggressive treatments, such as long term medication or surgery as well as a remarkable return of function and motion.
PRP History and Current Studies.
PRP was initially used over 20 years ago in the Dental community to enhance wound healing in cancer patients with jaw reconstruction. Soon afterwards its applications extended across many fields of medicine from cardiovascular surgery to orthopaedics. Multiple studies are underway to help further refine the treatment and demonstrate its efficacy.
PRP injections can be helpful for treatment of:
- Spine
- Sacroiliac joint
- Iliolumbar ligaments
- Facet joints
- Interspinous ligaments
- Shoulders
- Rotator cuff--partial tears
- Biceps tendinosis
- Chronic glenohumeral ligament sprains
- Acromio-clavicular joint dysfunction and pain
- Levator scapulae tendinosis
- Elbows
- Epicondylitis--medial and lateral--tennis elbow and golfer's elbow
- Ulnar collateral ligament injury
- Distal biceps tendon partial tear
- Wrist & Hand
- Chronic thumb sprain
- Joint arthritis
- Hip/Pelvis/SI joints
- Piriformis syndrome
- Greater trochanteric bursitis
- Sacroiliac joint dysfunction
- Hamstring strain
- Ischial tuberosity bursitis
- Hip joint arthritis
- Osteonecrosis of the femoral head
- Symphysis pubis pain
- Knee
- Patellar tendinitis/tendinosis
- Osgood-Schlatter's disease
- Quadraceps strain or partial tear
- Degenerative arthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Chondromalacia patella
- Enthesopathy
- Lower leg
- Calf pain
- Ankle & Foot
- Chronic ligament strains
- Chronic Achilles tendinosis
- Chronic partial tendon tear
- Plantar fascitis
- Arthritic joints
- Osgood-Schlatter's disease