Platelet Rich Plasma / Autologous Platelet Concentrate

Platelets release substances that promote tissue repair and influence the reactivity of vascular and other blood cells in angiogenesis and inflammation.  They contain storage pools of growth factors and active metabolites that have a positive influence in rapid healing and tissue regeneration.  We use your own growth factors, or Bioactive Proteins to encourage the in-growth of normal collagen and the re-modeling of the previously injured tissue at the pain initiating site. In this way, your own growth factors become the Regenerative Injection Therapy Agent of choice.

This treatment is an attractive alternative to surgery.  It has a shorter recovery time and a lower risk of causing permanent damage

How it's made:
Platelet growth factor is obtained by drawing a venous sample of blood (similar to a blood donation) and then using a special centrifuge to remove the red blood cells and the plasma component.  The site is first injected with an anaesthetic agent to numb the area.  Then it is injected with the plasma concentrate.  

What is it?
There are approximately 12 different growth factors present in your platelet rich plasma. These growth factors are concentrated to approximately 300 times your normal levels.   This distillation process will create a platelet concentration level that is five times as rich as regular blood.  When injected at the injury site, they promote or regenerate an accelerated healing cascade and it encourages natural repair.
Other choices for regenerative injection therapy agents exist, such as dextrose solution or dextrose with sodium morrhuate, hyaluronic acid and glucosamine sulfate. These types of injections have been utilized since the 1930's with excellent results and are still utilized today. The difference between utilizing the bioactive proteins and dextrose lies in the number of injections needed to treat an injured site. The typical number of injections needed with the bioactive proteins is two. This number is typically doubled with the use of the traditional agentís dextrose and sodium morrhuate. It should be noted that as many as six injections may be needed to treat an injury site.

When do we use it?
Injury that is resistant to Prolotherapy, or it is not producing the subjective improvement

• Degenerative Joint Disease
• Moderate to severe Osteoarthritis
• Moderate to severe tendinopathy
• MRI shows a labral tear
• MRI shows a very complex meniscal tear
• Your injury is very severe