Platelet Rich Plasma Issue of Operative Techniques in Sports Medicine

The entire September 2011 issue of Operative Techniques in Sports Medicine is dedicated to Platelet Rich Plasma. (PRP) Articles included in this issue discuss what is platelet rich plasma, how it is presently being used in the elbow, shoulder, and foot/ankle.  Discussions about the basic science of PRP, its effects on cartilage and even the coding and reimbursement of PRP are outlined.  Finally, a paper on the future of PRP and its impact on sports medicine is presented.

Elite PRP researchers including but not limited to:  Lisa Fortier, Brian Cole (Editors), Scott Rodeo, Steven Arnoczky, James Bradley, Augustus D. Mazzocca, Anthony A. Romeo, Allan Mishra, Taco Gosens, Lew Schon, Tomasz Bielecki, and David M. Dohan Ehrenfest are among the authors.

This represents the latest information about PRP from the people who have been actively engaged in evaluating it scientifically. 

To review the entire issue click here:  Operative Techniques in Sports Medicine PRP Issue

AM
Total Tendon

Stanford Football Player may start after PRP San Francisco Chronicle

Tom Fitzgerald of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote an article about a Stanford football player who may start after being treated with platelet rich plasma.  To read more, click here.

There is now mounting evidence that a specific type of PRP that contains increased concentrations of platelets AND white blood cells has value in the treatment of chronic tendinopathy.  Several studies are underway and some will soon be published. 

To view more about PRP and sports medicine videos, go to HalfDome.tv

AM
Total Tendon

Platelet Rich Plasma at Elite Meetings

Platelet rich plasma is on the agenda for several elite meeting in the next month. The NFL team physician meeting, the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine and the International Cartilage Research Society all have PRP presentations. BloodCure will report on these meetings including the discussions. Post any questions you may have on this blog and we'll try to get the answers. This level of attention by these established academic conferences means PRP is close to becoming a mainstream treatment.

AM
Total Tendon

Future Trends in Sports Medicine

Below is the abstract from a soon to be published article discussing the use of PRP for tendon and muscle. It will be published in a volume of Clinics in Sports Medicine entitled: "Future Trends in Sports Medicine"

AM (Total Tendon, ApexPRP)

Treatment of Tendon and Muscle Using Platelet-Rich Plasma.Mishra A, Woodall J Jr, Vieira A.Clin Sports Med. 2009 Jan;28(1):113-125.Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Menlo Medical Clinic, Stanford University Medical Center, 1300 Crane Street, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA.

Tendon and muscle injuries are common in elite and weekend athletes. Treatment of these injuries in both groups is rapidly evolving. Sports medicine patients are demanding better and less invasive solutions for all types of musculoskeletal disorders. In this context, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has emerged as a potential solution. PRP is a fraction of whole blood containing concentrated growth factors and proteins. These cytokines direct tissue healing through autocrine and paracrine effects. The number of basic science, animal, and human investigations of PRP for tendon and muscle injuries worldwide has risen sharply in recent years. These studies are helping clinicians better understand the mechanisms of PRP and are guiding novel treatment protocols. In this paper, the value of PRP as a treatment for acute or chronic tendon and muscle disorders is explored.