Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP)

The treatment of sports injuries is a constantly evolving field of medicine. Recent advances have enabled a new treatment to be delivered to patients for sports injuries called platelet rich plasma. The media is constantly reporting on professional athletes who have undergone this procedure.

Platelets have been known to be involved with blood clotting for some time.  For example, when the skin is lacerated, platelets are naturally concentrated at the wound and contribute to the formation of a blood clot. However, modern medical research has found that platelets also contain a number of growth factors that accelerate healing.  When platelets are concentrated and injected into an injured area, the concentrated growth factors cause an accelerated and magnified healing response.  Platelet rich plasma is the name for the concentrated platelet solution that is injected into the injured tissues.

A platelet rich plasma injection procedure involves drawing the patient’s blood from a superficial vein (similar to a routine blood test) which is then processed by a special medical device that separates and concentrates the platelets. (human blood contains, platelets, red blood cells, white blood cells, serum,  and electrolytes).  The concentrated platelets are then injected into an anesthetized area to augment the healing of an injury.  Most patients have minor discomfort for a few days that eventually resolves with full recovery occurring in a few weeks.

The benefits of a platelet rich plasma injection include:

• No drugs or chemicals, The patient’s own blood is used to induce the accelerated healing
• No steroids or drugs used other than the numbing medication
• Induction of a complete healing response for incompletely healed chronic musculoskeletal injuries (tendonitis, bursitis, muscle injuries, etc…)

Patients who may benefit from platelet rich plasma therapy include those with acute injuries and chronic non-healing musculoskeletal injuries.

Dr. Michael Kelly, a sports medicine specialist performs platelet rich plasma injections in the office under ultrasound guidance.

For additional information about PRP Therapy, patients should call 973-535-8300

There is also a related newspaper story at: http://www.nj.com/sports/index.ssf/2009/07/cuttingedge_plateletrich_plasm.html