Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy
Written By: Arabi Muhanujam
Platelet-rich plasma injections have shown to have potential in treating musculoskeletal injuries. Many famous athletes like Tiger Woods and Rafael Nadal have claimed that these injections helped them recover from injuries such as sprained knees and chronic tendon injuries, and helped them get back on the playing field faster. Recently, researchers have found that PRP injections could help with the osteoarthritis-a condition that will affect almost half of all Americans at one point in their life.
Platelets are a component of the blood that helps in clotting in order to stop bleeding. They are formed in the bone marrow along with red/white blood cells (URMC Medical Center). The bone marrow is also where stem cells are found. Stem cells are non-specialized cells that can specialize in any cell depending on where they are needed. This is why stem cell therapy is proven to benefit treating cancer, making a skin for burn victims, and various other causes.
To prepare platelet-rich plasma, blood must be drawn from the patient and then the platelets are extracted. These platelets go through a process called centrifugation, in which their concentration is increased. This highly concentrated batch of plasma is mixed with the rest of the blood components and injected back into the patient. There are many other uses for platelet-rich plasma therapy such as cosmetics/dermatology. For example, it’s proven that PRP injections are effective in reducing male-pattern baldness (Johns Hopkins Medicine) and has skin benefits when used as facial treatments. The costs of these treatments range from $500- $2000 so they’re a bit on the expensive side for medical treatments.
PRP has been useful in reducing inflammation in orthopedics. Patients with Achilles tendonitis experience inflammation of the patellar tendon at the knee and PRP can reduce the inflammation (OrthoInfo). Platelet-rich plasma can be used in surgeries designed to repair tendons. Studies have also shown that they help reduce pain and boost mobility for rotator cuff injuries. A study published by the American Journal of Sports Medicine in 2013 found that out of 718 participants, the majority of them found PRP injections to reduce pain for their osteoarthritis.
Some disadvantages to these treatments include cost, lack of proven benefits, and pioneering stages of technology development. Due to the increased cost, not a lot of people can afford to get the injections for their pain, especially since routine injections need to be performed in order to show a reduction in symptoms. Most clinical trials and studies have found that the treatment only began making a difference after months of use and repeated injections. An advantage of this method is that it is proven to be safe, as the injections are made using the patient’s own plasma.
In conclusion, platelet-rich plasma has been used to treat many ailments in various fields of medicine. Recently, there has been evidence leading doctors and researchers to believe that PRP injections could have orthopedic uses as well. Hopefully, with increased research and more clinical trials, platelet-rich plasma can be engineered to treat osteoarthritis and musculoskeletal injuries in a cheap and effective way.
Works Cited
Freeborn, D., Cunningham, L., & LoCicero, R. (Eds.). (n.d.). Health Encyclopedia. Retrieved July 18, 2020, from https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=160
Johns Hopkins Medicine. (n.d.). Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Treatment. Retrieved July 18, 2020, from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/plateletrich-plasma-prp-treatment
Kelly, F. B., MD. (2011, September). Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) — OrthoInfo — AAOS (R. Wilkerson DO & S. J. Fischer MD, Eds.). Retrieved July 18, 2020, from https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/treatment/platelet-rich-plasma-prp
Nall, R., CRNA. (2017, November 21). Platelet-rich plasma therapy (PRP): Costs, side effects, and treatments (S. Falck MD, Ed.). Retrieved July 18, 2020, from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320107
Ratini, M. (2019, August 13). Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Injections: Purpose & Effectiveness. Retrieved July 18, 2020, from https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/platelet-rich-plasma-injections
Wilson, J., MD. (2014, January 7). Efficacy of Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections. Retrieved July 18, 2020, from https://www.arthritis-health.com/treatment/injections/efficacy-platelet-rich-plasma-injections
