Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy is a cutting-edge treatment that utilizes the patient’s own blood to stimulate healing and tissue regeneration. We draw a small amount of the patient’s blood and process it in an FDA-approved centrifuge through a double-spin process. This separates the platelets and powerful growth factors from your red blood cells and concentrates them up to ten times their usual concentration. These platelets are a standard component of your blood, and they travel to an area of injury to release more than fifty protein growth factors to initiate healing, decrease inflammation, and reduce pain.
Once super concentrated, these platelets are then injected into the affected area of injury or chronic pain and inflammation. These growth factors promote tissue breakdown and repair locally, and recruit further healing processes from nearby vascular stem cells and bone marrow cellular elements. We use these “super” platelets to accelerate your body’s natural healing and regeneration.
These health conditions have been scientifically shown to benefit from PRP treatments:
- Osteoarthritis
- Acute sports-related injury
- Tendon-related injuries:
- Rotator cuff tendonitis and tears
- Biceps tendonitis
- Tennis/golfer’s elbow
- Achilles tendonitis
- Patellar tendonitis
- Plantar fasciitis
- Ligament injuries:
- Knee MCl
- Ankle sprains
What Can I Expect on the Day of My Treatment?
You will be in the office between one and one and a half hours for treatment. You will be asked to hydrate on the morning of the procedure to maximize the blood draw. A small amount of blood will be drawn and immediately processed in the office for ten to fifteen minutes. The affected joint or injury site will be anesthetized with a topical and local anesthetic prior to injection. The PRP will then be injected into the affected area, sometimes with ultrasound guidance. Ice will be applied to the area for comfort, and a brace, sling, or crutches may be prescribed for additional support.
Post-PRP activity restrictions and pain control with over-the-counter medications will be reviewed. A prescription for physical therapy will be provided, and pain medication may be prescribed as necessary for significant pain. A routine follow-up appointment will be scheduled at four weeks to review the results.
How Soon Will I Feel the Benefits of PRP Treatment?
It is typical to experience moderate discomfort for the first several days following your PRP treatment. This will vary depending on the condition treated. Sports-related tendon treatments may experience more discomfort and swelling than degenerative joint treatments.
Physical therapy, ice, acetaminophen, and other pain medications, along with activity restriction, will significantly reduce discomfort and swelling. Most patients experience relief between two and four weeks following treatment, with accelerated improvement between one and six months.
What Are the Long-Term Results?
Well-designed orthopedic studies have verified twelve months of pain relief and improved function following PRP treatments. In addition, if hyaluronic acid is added to this PRP treatment, it may prolong this relief to eighteen months.
Am I a Good Candidate for PRP Treatment?
If you suffer from moderate to severe arthritis with minimal deformity and you don’t wish to pursue steroid injection, or if steroid injections no longer work for you, you are a good candidate to try PRP with or without hyaluronic acid. If you suffer from a chronic sports-related injury or tendonitis and wish to avoid an orthopedic surgery, PRP may be the answer for you. PRP treatment following a rotator cuff repair has been shown to decrease the retear rate by fifty percent!
PRP treatments are safe with no significant complications reported and carry a seventy-five percent success rate of decreased pain and inflammation with increased mobility and function. Treatments can be repeated as needed, and they do not interfere with a surgical procedure if a patient chooses to pursue a surgical option. Steroids, on the other hand, put patients at two to three times the risk of infection from surgery for a period of three to six months.
At Body Restore of Naples, we are dedicated to helping patients suffering from arthritis-related joint pain and sports-related injury. We use state-of-the-art platelet-rich plasma and stem cell therapies to optimize your body’s repair and regenerative processes. Every patient is thoroughly evaluated to ensure they are suitable candidates for treatment. We offer the best platelet-rich plasma processing system available on the market today, and our scientifically backed procedures can provide significant pain relief and improved joint mobility and function to eighty percent of well-selected patients with twelve months of relief.
Dr. Steven Case, MD, is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with over twenty years of experience in sports medicine and joint replacement surgeries. He is the only orthopedic surgeon in South Florida with a practice solely focused on avoiding surgery using these cell-based therapies.
Body Restore of Naples is located at 4760 Tamiami Trail N, Ste. 24, Naples. To learn more, visit: bodyrestorenaples.com, call 239.241.2869, or email: bodyrestorenaples@gmail.com