PRP: Should I Be Using It?
Kaveh Sajadi, MD
PRP, platelet-rich plasma, is touted by some to be a revolutionary treatment with the potential to heal or alleviate any number of ailments, from arthritis to tendinopathies to tendon tears or ruptures. The idea is to use the body’s own “healing” system to repair damaged tissue by amplifying it–increasing the concentration of platelets and their accompanying growth factors, which is then injected into the diseased or injured area.
Platelets are typically activated when a blood vessel is damaged. When the platelet is activated to clot, it also releases many growth factors which are contained within the alpha granules in the platelet. The growth factors present include PDGF (platelet-derived growth factor), important in wound healing, VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor), which recruits the body to form new blood vessels, as well as many other signaling factors and cytokines.
Tags: Infection Solutions, Shoulder