What are platelet-rich plasm injection techniques?
Platelets are cells that represent about 4% of the overall blood mass. Containing growth factors, platelets are found in every individual in normal conditions.
Growth factors have proven effective in stimulating the healing of damaged connective tissues.
In general, this treatment is reserved for patients without satisfying results from usual conservative treatments (anti-inflammatory, physiotherapy, cortisone injection, etc.). However, specialists are increasingly recommending this treatment, particularly to athletes or people looking for effective cortisone-free treatment.
Platelets-rich Plasma (PRP) and Arthrosis
Platelets are found in everybody’s blood. The main function of platelets is blood clotting. They contain growth factors that have proven effective in stimulating scarring and speeding up healing in joints affected by arthrosis. PRP is an encouraging treatment for patients suffering from osteoarthrosis.
Intra-discal Platelet-rich Plasma (PRP)
This treatment involves injecting PRP into a disc. After confirming that a patient’s chronic low back pain is discogenic (originating from a disc), a few millilitres of PRP are injected in the affected disc to regenerate old and deteriorated tissues.
L’infiltration de plasma riche en plaquettes (PRP) est utilisée dans les cas réfractaires de lésion tendineuse (tendinopathie de la coiffe des rotateurs, tendinopathie des épicondyliens (épicondylite) ou des épitrochléens (épitrochléite), tendinopathie des moyen fessier, tendinopathie des ischio-jambiers ou des adducteurs, tendinopathie d’Achille, tendinopathie rotulienne (genou), fasciite plantaire ou toutes autres tendinopathies chroniques, séquelle d’entorse (ex.:cheville)) n’ayant pas répondu aux traitements conservateurs usuels. Il peut également être fort utile dans le traitement de l’arthrose du genou et de la hanche. Finalement, le PRP peut également être utilisé dans certains cas de lésions ligamentaires chroniques ou une lésion musculaire.
During the procedure, a blood sample is drawn from the patient (from 30 to 120 cc of blood depending on the injected area) and centrifuged from 15 to 23 minutes. During preparations, platelets are separated from other blood constituents.
Only plasma containing a large quantity of platelets and growth factors is kept.
Under the control of an ultrasound device and after local anaesthesia, PRP is injected precisely in the affected or deteriorated area (tendons, ligaments, muscles, joints) to stimulate healing. The entire procedure is sterile and performed with the assistance of a nurse.
Response to treatment varies from one patient to the next. Some patients need a second treatment, but rarely a third.
The decision to undergo a second treatment is taken only three months after the procedure and depends on patients’ response to the first injection.
Pour les cas d’arthrose, certaines études suggèrent de faire trois injections à une ou deux semaines d’intervalle.
There are very little side effects to this procedure, since PRP is a natural technique where a patient’s own blood is used. Risks of infection and allergy to the anesthetic are quite rare.
There may be a recurrence of pain at first (from a few days to two weeks), since an inflammatory reaction favourable to healing is caused. Risks of a patient’s condition deteriorating or tissues rupturing are very slight, particularly if the patient follows recommendations made after the procedure.