PRP Platelet Rich Plasma

What is PRP?

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is defined as a portion of the plasma fraction of autologous blood having a platelet concentration above baseline that contain a powerful concoction of growth factors. . It is an emerging treatment in the modern health sector known as ‘orthobiologics’. The goal of this discipline is to enhance the body’s innate ability to repair and regenerate. PRP therapy has lately gained a lot of attention as a safe, non-surgical, biological treatment of osteoarthritis and musculoskeletal repair.

Soft tissue injuries that include ligament and tendons represent up to 45% of all musculoskeletal injuries. Chronic and degenerative musculoskeletal conditions can be challenging to treat and can have a protracted course compromising an otherwise active lifestyle.

What’s the Process?

For most orthopedic use, which currently happens in our outpatient setting, the physician harvests the venous blood and transfers it to the centrifuge. After the centrifuge processes, the physician extracts PRP according to device instructions. 

Using Ultrasound techniques to locate the exact point of treatment, Dr Rengifo injects the PRP in the affected area, previously prepared following disinfection procedures.

What PRP can do?

PRP studies have indicated that PRP is or may be useful to treat: 

  • Knee Osteoarthritis :  The Growth Factors in PRP regulate the synthesis of Hyaluronic Acid , protecting the cartridge and lubricating the joint.  
  • Tennis Elbow
  • Sport Injuries: Joint sprains. Ligament tears, Pulled muscles.  Research has suggested that administering autologous platelet-rich clots might be beneficial by inducing cell proliferation and promoting the synthesis of angiogenic factors during the healing process.
  • Wounds
  • Hair Loss

Safety

Since PRP is prepared from autologous blood, theoretically there are minimal risks for disease transmission, immunogenic reactions or cancer . PRP is considered to be safe. In the musculoskeletal field, a study of over 800 patients reported no adverse effect following injection of plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) into the knee joint at 6 months.