Platelet Rich Plasma Injection Therapy, PRP
Platelet rich plasma (PRP) is a volume of autogenous (meaning your own) plasma that has a platelet concentrate above the body’s normal level.
Normal platelet concentrates in a person's blood tend to be in the range of 150,000 and 350,000.
Scientific proof has unequivocally demonstrated drastically improved bone and soft tissue healing using platelet rich plasma injection therapy with concentrations of 1,000,000.
The clinical applications of platelet-rich plasma are many and varied. It is used in denistry, orthopaedics and other areas.
Advantages of Platelet Rich Plasma
- It's safe. PRP is a by-product of our patient’s own blood; hence, disease transmission is not an issue.
- It's convenient. Platelet rich plasma is processed under strict sterile conditions.
- It allows for faster healing. The super saturation of the wound with PRP produces an increase of tissue synthesis and thus faster tissue regeneration.
- It's cost effective. Platelet rich plasma harvesting is carried out with only a small amount of blood in the doctor's office. The patient does not incur the expense of the harvesting procedure in the hospital or at the blood bank.
Popularity of Platelet Rich Plasma Injection Therapy
At the moment, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection therapy is the most hyped orthopedic treatment on the planet. Tiger had several PRP shots post-ACL surgery, and Hines Ward swears it's all that got him and his badly sprained MCL, through last year’s Super Bowl.
But it still may not be right for you. The procedure involves putting a small amount of the patient's blood in a centrifuge to concentrate its bioactive proteins and then injecting the concentrate into damaged, healing tissue. A PRP injection usually costs $2,000 and is usually done more than just once.
Platelet-rich plasma injection therapy is more common in Europe, where small-scale studies suggest it can spur regeneration of ripped tendons and ligaments. "Everyone talks it’s the panacea," says Plancher. “I think it can work as an augment to repair, but I don't recon it will change the outcome of recovery. We warn that there is no solid scientific evidence to back the efficacy of PRP injection therapy."
Recent studies presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) in New Orleans showed platelet-rich plasma injections might help several conditions, including osteoarthritis.
Keith Stanley of Tulsa Bone and Joint Associates said PRP injection therapy is most appealing on account of the fact that it does not involve putting foreign chemicals in the body.
