A Promising Treatment for Athletes, in Blood

Two of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ biggest stars, Hines Ward and Troy Polamalu, used their own blood in an innovative injury treatment before winning the Super Bowl. At least one major league pitcher, about 20 professional soccer players and perhaps hundreds of recreational athletes have also undergone the procedure, commonly called platelet-rich plasma therapy.

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Peter DaSilva for The New York Times

Dr. Allan K. Mishra, examines a tube containing platelet rich plasma used to mend tendons and ligaments without surgery.

Experts in sports medicine say that if the technique’s early promise is fulfilled, it could eventually improve the treatment of stubborn injuries like tennis elbow and knee tendinitis for athletes of all types.

Platelet-Rich Plasma for Arthroscopic Repair of Large to Massive Rotator Cuff Tears A Randomized, Single-Blind, Parallel-Group Trial

 

Background: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is expected to have a biological augmentation potential in the healing of various diseases and injuries, including rotator cuff tears. However, few evaluations have been performed specifically for large to massive tears.

Purpose: To assess the efficacy of PRP augmentation in patients undergoing arthroscopic repair for large to massive rotator cuff tears.

Study Design: Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1.

Methods: A total of 48 patients scheduled for arthroscopic repair of large to massive rotator cuff tears were randomly assigned to receive either PRP-augmented (PRP group) or conventional treatment (conventional group). In the PRP group, 3 PRP gels (3 × 3 mL) were applied to each patient between the torn end and the greater tuberosity. The primary outcome measure was the retear rate assessed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomographic arthrography (CTA) at a minimum of 9 months after surgery. Secondary outcome measures included pain, range of motion, muscle strength, overall satisfaction, functional scores, and the change in cross-sectional area (CSA) of the supraspinatus.

Results: The retear rate of the PRP group (20.0%) was significantly lower than that of the conventional group (55.6%) (P = .023). Clinical outcomes showed no statistical difference between the 2 groups (all P > .05) except for the overall function (P = .043). The change in 1-year postoperative and immediately postoperative CSA was significantly different between the 2 groups: –15.54 ± 94.34 mm² in the PRP group versus −85.62 ± 103.57 mm² in the conventional group (P = .047).

Conclusion: The application of PRP for large to massive rotator cuff repairs significantly improved structural outcomes, as evidenced by a decreased retear rate and increased CSA of the supraspinatus compared with repairs without PRP augmentation. While there was no significant difference in clinical outcomes except the overall shoulder function after 1-year follow-up, better structural outcomes in the PRP group might suggest improved clinical outcomes at longer term follow-up. 

http://ajs.sagepub.com/content/41/10/2240.abstract?etoc 

Blood therapy popular with pro athletes makes way to Cincinnati

A process that uses a patient’s own blood to help speed the healing process is now being offered to treat tendon and ligament injuries as well as degenerative joint arthritis by doctors who specialize in orthopedics and sports medicine at the Christ Hospital Health Network.
A blood separation system extracts platelet-rich plasma from a patient’s whole blood sample, according to Christ Hospital spokesman Michael Beauchat.

Arthroscopy. 2013 Sep 20. pii: S0749-8063(13)00853-0. doi: 10.1016/j.arthro.2013.07.272. [Epub ahead of print]

The Effect of Platelet-Rich Plasma on Clinical Outcomes in Lateral Epicondylitis.

Ahmad Z, Brooks R, Kang SN, Weaver H, Nunney I, Tytherleigh-Strong G, Rushton N.

Source

Department of Orthopaedics, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, Norwich, England. Electronic address: zafar.ahmad@doctors.org.uk.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

To evaluate the evidence for application of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in lateral epicondylitis.

METHODS:

We carried out a systematic review of the current evidence on the effects of PRP in lateral epicondylitis on clinical outcomes. We performed a comprehensive search of the PubMed, Medline, Cochrane, CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature), and Embase databases using various combinations of the commercial names of each PRP preparation and "lateral epicondylitis" (with its associated terms), looking specifically at human studies. Data validity was assessed and collected on clinical outcome.

Πλάσμα πλούσιο σε αιμοπετάλια (PRP), η θεραπεία μέσω της φύσης.

Η θεραπεία με πλάσμα πλούσιο σε αιμοπετάλια (PRP) ανήκει στις θεραπείες ενός νέου κλάδου της ιατρικής της αναγεννητικής ιατρικής "regenerative medicine", στόχος της οποίας είναι να διεγείρει τους φυσικούς μηχανισμούς θεραπείας του ίδιου του οργανισμού για να αποκαταστήσει αθεράπευτες βλάβες.

Οι επιστήμονες προσπαθούσαν για πολλές δεκαετίες να ανακαλύψουν την ουσία

Platelet-Rich Plasma in the Pathologic Processes of Cartilage: Review of Basic Science Evidence

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to systematically review the basic science evidence for the use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in the treatment of pathologic processes of cartilage, both as an adjunct to cartilage repair and as a conservative management strategy for osteoarthritis, with the intent of determining the effect of PRP and whether a proof of concept for its use has been established to facilitate further investigation at a clinical level.

Russell Crowe injures his feet running

Russell Crowe has injured his feet running.
The exercise mad actor's intense daily workouts have taken their toll on his body and left him with injuries in both Achilles tendons and a bruised big toe.

The healing power of blood

Tiger Woods and Kobe Bryant supposedly used it to get their stellar bodies back in action. Angelina Jolie is said to have depended on it to erase fine lines threatening her stellar face.
These superstars depended on platelet-rich plasma therapy, also known as protein-rich plasma or PRP, still considered experimental, but not for want of success in the fields of orthopedics, dentistry and even aesthetic treatments.