Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a type of cellular therapy that falls under regenerative medicine. PRP is the injection of the patients own platelets, in high concentration into an injured musculoskeletal area. For the procedure, blood is collected from a patient and placed into a centrifuge to separate the blood into its components. A portion of the sample is then injected into the targeted site.The main purpose of platelet rich plasma injection is to foster healing where it has not otherwise occurred or to speed up healing as in the case of an acute injury. Platelets release over 30 bioactive proteins and growth factors that enhance tissue regeneration and healing. The growth factors activate multiple types of cells required for tissue healing. They also stimulate protein production needed for regenerative processes including the formation of new blood vessels. The released proteins signal multiple types of healing cells to migrate into the area of injury and stimulate healing by growing new tissue.There has been growing interest and research in using PRP injections to treat pain and promote tissue healing for musculoskeletal conditions, as well as skin rejuvenation, treatment for hair loss, breast augmentation, and wound rejuvenation. The addition of PRP to a site is believed to initiate tissue repair through a natural healing response to tissue stimulation, synthesis of new connective tissues, and revascularization.

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The growth factors in PRP stimulate tissue recovery by:

          - Enhancing collagen production
          - Increasing tendon stem cell production
          - Activating tendon cells to produce collagen
          - Stimulating blood flow
          - Making cartilage more firm and resilient

Due to the use of autologous blood, there are limited adverse reactions compared to other injection-based therapies, such as corticosteroid injection. Published studies suggest an improvement of 80-85% for many soft tissue injuries.

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Various conditions that can be treated include:

          - Acute sports Injuries
          - Osteoarthritis (Knee, Hip, Shoulder, Ankle)
          - Tennis/Golfer’s Elbow
          - Male erectile dysfunction
          - Hair loss
          - Skin rejuvenation
          - Muscle strain

 

Contraindications for PRP therapy include:

          - Immunocompromised state
          - Active infection
          - Inability to understand and comply with post-procedure modifications
          - Coagulopathy or anticoagulation
          - Prosthetic joints
          - Prosthetic hardware infection
          - Severe cases of advanced OA