Platelet Rich Plasma Injection
What to know
Platelets are the smallest blood cells that circulate in your blood. Their best-known function is clot formation, which controls bleeding at wound sites. What is not so well known is that they contain many bioactive factors that initiate and regulate wound healing. Platelet rich plasma (PRP) is plasma from which the red cells and white cells have been removed and the platelets concentrated. It is made from your own blood. The plasma, the platelets and the bioactive factors that will be reinjected into your injury site are all your own. No synthetic growth factors are added.
PRP injections aim to stimulate the healing process by delivering platelets directly to the site of injury.
Does any of the following apply to you? If so please contact us as soon as possible.
- You suspect or know that you may be pregnant
- You have ever experienced a severe reaction to a previous injection of contrast media
- You suffer from asthma or have kidney disease
- You are a diabetic
Do you require an interpreter?
Is the patient non-english speaking? If so, we can arrange for an interpreter to be present during the appointment. Please let us know as soon as possible so we can make the relevant arrangements.
- To ensure suitability for treatment, your referral will be checked by one of our specialist radiologists
- An ultrasound or MRI study will be needed prior to the injection
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) – for example Nurofen, Voltaren, Mobic, interfere with platelet function and need to be stopped 7 days before and 7 days after this procedure
- It is also advisable not to have had a corticosteroid injection in the 4 weeks before the PRP injection
- Please notify us of any allergies prior to the PRP injection.
- Total appointment time will range from 30 to 45 minutes
- In most circumstances, 8ml of your blood will be collected from your arm in much the same way as a routine blood test. The blood is then spun in a centrifuge to separate the platelets from the red and white cells
- The platelets suspended in plasma are withdrawn and readied for injection into the affected area
- Following a local anaesthetic, the PRP will be injected, under image guidance, into the site of injury.
Platelet Rich Therapy (PRP) harnesses the healing properties of blood in order to treat pain arising from tendons, ligaments, muscles and joints.
PRP is most commonly used for the treatment of partially torn tendons and tendinosis or tendinopathy which are terms used for painful tendon degeneration, often caused by overuse.
PRP injections aim to stimulate the healing process by delivering platelets directly to the site of injury. PRP focuses on restoring normal tissue composition while avoiding further damage.
PRP is good for helping injuries that may either heal on their own (given enough time) or are maybe stuck in the healing process and need a little ‘kick-start’ to get the process back on the fast track.
This treatment is not a ‘quick fix’ and is designed to promote long term healing. Patients who follow a course of physical therapy following PRP injection are likely to see the most improvement to the affected area.
- Partial thickness tendon tears
- Tennis elbow (common extensor tendinopathy, lateral epicondylitis)
- Golfer’s elbow (common flexor tendinopathy, medial epicondylitis)
- Knee tendinopathy
- Achilles tendinopathy
- Plantar fasciitis
- Mild to moderate osteoarthritis.
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Although uncommon these include:
- Pain
- Infection
- Skin bruising and discolouration
- Nerve injury
- Calcification and scarring.
Initially the procedure may cause some localised pain which usually occurs for the first few days and slowly decreases. A cold compress or paracetamol may be helpful in this regard.
In the first week, a patient’s activities should be limited to those concerned with everyday living. Strenuous activities involving the treated region should be avoided.
In weeks 2 to 4 you are encouraged to gradually increase physical activities, preferably under the supervision of a physiotherapist who can create an individualised rehabilitation program.
If after 4 weeks your pain has reduced but still persists, or if there has been no noticeable change, you may wish to discuss with your practitioner a second PRP injection.
For some patients it is only after the second injection, they get a desirable response.
If you have pain arising from tendons, ligaments, muscles, or joints and are unable to attend a clinic that offers PRP, then an alternative procedure to discuss with your referrer is an autologous blood injection (ABI).
Like PRP injections, ABI aims to promote healing by delivering platelets and other bioactive growth factors to the area of injury or degeneration. The procedure of ABI involves withdrawing whole blood from the patient, usually taken from the patient’s elbow or forearm, and then injecting it into the area of maximal abnormality of the tendon using a machine called an ultrasound for guidance. Where possible, PRP injections are generally favoured over ABI.
