Can Platelet-Rich-Plasma (PRP) be used for all Joints?
Tampa, Saint Petersburg, and Clearwater FL
Platelet-Rich-Plasma (PRP) is a Regenerative Medicine therapy that utilizes the body’s own natural repair mechanisms to create a healing response. Platelet-Rich-Plasma (PRP) has been used in various applications of medicine for some time, however it is the burgeoning high profile use by elite athletes that has propelled it’s use into mainstream medicine and it’s popularity in the press. Platelet-Rich-Plasma (PRP) uses the patients own blood and concentrates the platelets by centrifugation in order to reintroduce the platelets into an injured segment for a repair response. The platelets release growth factors which can regulate the body’s repair mechanisms into a positive direction, escaping the negative local responses induced by inflammation. These repair responses have been used in wound healing, muscle and tendon injuries, as well as joint pain and injury. Many joint disorders have been treated with Platelet-Rich-Plasma (PRP). Knee disorders such as meniscal tears, cartilage defects and even after failed surgery for these problems. Knee arthritis is frequently treated. Shoulder disorders including rotator cuff tears, impingement syndrome, labral tears and gleno-humeral arthritis. Hip pain and dysfunction from bursitis, labral tears, and degenerative changes have been treated with success. Ankle pain from a diverse set of symptoms including chronic ankle sprains, osteochondral defects, avascular necrosis (AVN) and degenerative buy ativan osteoarthritis. Avascular necrosis is a complicated joint problem in which bone has lost it’s vascular supply and essentially dies. It begins to collapse in on itself as it advances and joint destruction occurs. Avascular necrosis (AVN) does not have to always progress and treatment with Regenerative Medicine strategies have been employed. Micro-fracture is a surgical procedure where small holes are drilled into the joint allowing the bone marrow to contact the avascular necrotic segments. This is essentially a mechanism in which the bone marrow stem cells may exert a healing response to the joint. This can also be done without the associated recovery involved with joint micro-fracture by directly injecting PRP and stem cells into the joint with AVN. Many types of joint pain can be treated with PRP, and Regenerative Medicine is a useful strategy to aid the repair process or as an alternative to surgery.
