A New Option In Repair And Healing Of Injuries

Platelet-Rich Plasma therapy is a non-surgical treatment used to repair ligaments and treat tendon injuries

. Used in medical processes since the 1970s, its now becoming more common, especially in sports medicine.

Platelet rich plasma is blood plasma that contains a high amount of platelets. These platelets have large doses of bio active proteins that are necessary for the repair and regeneration of body tissue. The special proteins influence new blood vessel formation, bone regeneration and healing, connective tissue repair, and wound healing.

Therapy begins by collecting some of the platelets along with white blood cells from the patients blood with a device called a closed platelet separator. This collected material contains platelets and bio active proteins which are then mixed with activating agents. When ready, its injected back into the patients damaged tissue to begin the repair process.

At the beginning of the therapy, injured tissue repair is started with the formation of a blood clot. As the implanted platelets dissolve, they trigger the release of growth factors which promotes fibrous scar tissue formation. In time, the damaged tissue is fully replaced with healthy cells.

On average, treatment requires 3 to 6 doses of injections which are given over a period of approximately one each month. Risks and side effects do not compound with extra treatments so a patient may have as many as are determined necessary by a physician. Regeneration of damaged tendons and ligaments takes time, and physical therapy may continue for weeks after the procedure.

Because the materials used for therapy are natural and come from the patients own body, the procedure is very safe. In addition, the use of closed systems while preparing the platelet rich plasma concentration reduces the risk of contaminants entering the solution during production.

Even though the risk of injury from the therapy is low, a patient may still suffer initial soreness or discomfort; usually at the repair location. Medications like Acetaminophen can be used to control pain in this case. Heating or icing may also be applied as instructed by a doctor, and major physical activity suspended until after recovery. As a precaution, Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory medications should be stopped a week prior to beginning therapy and avoided all together until after treatment ends.

Platelet Rich Plasma therapy is growing in prominence as a viable choice of treatment in many countries. Benefits include: its non-surgical and less invasive, it uses the patients own cells in the healing, its an option when no immediate cure is available, it generally costs less when compared to surgery alone, individual procedures last approximately twenty minutes, there is a short recovery time, and it often takes the place of more complex treatments, harsh medications, or surgery .

There is currently research underway in the US, India and Sweden studying the effects of Platelet Rich Plasma therapy in shoulder rotators-cuff strains, partial knee-ligament tears and bone fractures. Researchers are also busy evaluating the effectiveness of this therapy in conjunction with traditional surgery as a better treatment option while also reducing recovery time.

by: Mark Sample

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