Platelet rich plasma – the future of medicine!

November 13, 2013

By Dr. Oleg Maksimov, MD

Platelet rich plasma – the future of medicine!

A lot of what we do in pain management can have potential to cause adverse reactions or side effects.  However, one treatment stands out from the crowd. Our Gresham office doctors Maksimov and Grattan present to you Platelet-Rich Plasma Treatment!

A short list of professional athletes who used platelet rich plasma to quickly return to sport includes golfer Tiger Woods, tennis player Rafael Nadal, Washington Redskins safety LaRon Landry, major league pitchers Jose Contreras of the Philadelphia Phillies, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Bobby Jenks of the Boston Red Sox, Brett Anderson of the Oakland Athletics and Jesse Carlson of the Toronto Blue Jays, as well as Wesley Matthews and Brandon Roy of the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers.

What is platelet-rich plasma? 

Platelets are blood cells known for their ability to form blood clots in order to stop bleeding.  As it turns out, platelets are also rich in special proteins that help our bodies repair injuries and heal damaged tissues.  These proteins are named growth factors, as they are responsible for regenerative cells growth.  If we inject platelet rich plasma to degenerated knee or torn rotator cuff, the growth factors help to repair cartilage or tendons.

Where do we get platelet–rich plasma?

Blood is collected from the vein. Platelet rich plasma is then obtained by concentrating patient’s own blood in order to increase the quantity of growth factors.  The concentration process, known as centrifugation, separates the platelet-rich portion of patient’s blood from the rest by spinning the patient’s sample at a high speed.

What conditions respond well to platelet-rich plasma?

Most of the chronic and some of the acute musculoskeletal injuries can respond well to PRP treatment. Injection of platelet rich plasma to rotator cuff or ruptured Achilles tendon helps to repair damaged tendon. Growth factors also can potentially regenerate cartilage erosions created by degenerative arthritis of knees, shoulders, hips and ankles. Greater trochanteric bursitis as well as tennis elbow heal well after series of injections.

Final thoughts.

Platelet rich plasma is a promising treatment that utilizes human body’s own regenerative potential. It is associated with minimal, if any, side effect since medicine is derived from the patient.  However, there is not enough solid scientific data to prove it’s efficacy, and it can be expensive.

Want to learn more?  Ask your provider at Columbia Pain and Spine Institute about platelet-rich plasma treatment.