Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Injections

Boise, Idaho

 
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What is PRP?

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a concentration of the platelets and protein growth factors within the plasma of your own blood. After a simple in-office blood draw, the blood is centrifuged to separate the parts of your own blood to remove the red and white blood cells leaving a concentration of platelets and proteins in the plasma. This concentration of natural growth factors is then injected into joints, tendons and ligaments to help improve your orthopedic problems. PRP is used to decrease inflammation, accelerate the healing of orthopedic injuries and alleviate pain from arthritic joints.

What does the literature support?

PRP has become a hot topic in the medical field. It has been advertised for use in many different supposed medical applications. Is PRP effective or just another marketing gimmick? The following are just a few examples within the current literature supporting a growing body of data for PRP use in orthopedic applications.

The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons recently published an overview summary article on PRP for knee osteoarthritis. It stated that current literature and scientific data supported PRP for knee arthritis treatment over steroid injections, hyaluronic acid, NSAIDs, exercise, ozone, prolotherapy, and bone marrow aspirate concentrate. JAAOS

A meta analysis from the American Journal of Sports Medicine showed that rotator cuff repairs when enhanced with PRP have fewer retears occurrence than in patients who received a standard non-PRP rotator cuff repair. AJSM, ASMR, JCM

A recent double blinded controlled trial compared PRP with steroid injections for rotator cuff tendinopathy that hadn’t improved with other treatments. PRP outperformed steroid injections for functional and pain improvement out to the 12 month follow up. JSES

PRP for lateral epicondylitis of the elbow. OJSM

Does the dose matter?

The amount of platelets and growth factors within each person is affected by many factors. When making a recipe, the amount of each ingredient is important. Leaving out even just a portion of an ingredient will change the taste and appearance of the meal. The same can be said for PRP. Based on published studies, an effective dose concentration of PRP is over 3.5 billion platelets with high dose being over 5 billion. OJSM and Biomedicines

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On the average individuals have at least 200 million platelets per 1 cc of blood. Using this average, a 60 cc blood draw will contain 12 billion platelets. After concentration in a centrifuge with at least 50% recovery rate, there will be 6 billion platelets in the PRP injection. A few studies support a three-series low dose injection with one injection a week for three weeks. KSSTA and JOSR

Other studies have shown a single high dose PRP injection is effective for most. No study has compared a three series injection with a single high dose PRP. Nature

Call or request an appointment for your consultation regarding treatment options and use of PRP to get you back to your active life with less pain and improved function.

If you already have an appointment for your PRP injection, refer to Dr. Applonie’s instructions to prepare for your injection

Instructions