Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) describes the end product of a mechanical process through which a patient’s own blood is extracted and refined to create a substance with a concentration of platelets much greater than that which is found in unprocessed blood. Platelets, which are responsible for the clotting process that the body uses to slow and stop bleeding, are now known to play an integral role in the healing process by nature of a set of specific proteins they contain, known as growth factors, which promote healing and fight inflammation. By using imaging guidance to precisely deliver this prepared concentration of healing cells to the site of injury, platelet-rich plasma therapy can reduce pain and inflammation and promote healing without the need for major surgical intervention.
What Makes Regenexx PRP Different?
As we learn more and more about regenerative medicine, one of the biggest things we’ve realized is that not all PRP is created equally. This stems from both the wildly divergent preparation techniques in the market, and from the specialized treatments required by different conditions. Most PRP injections around the country are made using a bedside centrifuge, which spins blood according to a preset automatic program to separate the blood’s components and concentrate its platelets. While this approach makes it very easy for a provider to offer PRP treatments to their patients (a laudable goal), it has the downside of forcing upon them a one-size-fits-all approach to this truly nuanced procedure.
Fortunately, the Regenexx PRP system offered by RestorePDX offers an alternative to this cookie cutter approach. We are able to fine-tune PRP preparations to each individual patient’s needs, sometimes even using multiple unique preparations in the course of the same procedure! The Regenexx system empowers us to do things like calibrate the concentration of platelets (anywhere from 5 – 20 times the normal concentration!), remove inflammatory cells from the preparation, and isolate and preserve leukocyte or other fibroblasts if a particular injury would benefit from those cell types in the final preparation.
In short, the key difference between a Regenexx PRP injection and other preparations is that they are truly catered to the patient’s individual needs. We take the time and have the expertise necessary to deliver a bespoke approach to regenerative medicine that we believe improves outcomes and stacks the deck in favor of healing and recovery.
Results
The outcome of a platelet-rich plasma injection depends on a variety of factors, including the severity of your injury, your overall health and immune status, and the specifics of the procedure itself. However, physicians in the Regenexx network track and follow every patient treated with the Regenexx PRP treatment using a proprietary database that informs many of the ongoing research efforts underway around the world to better understand this revolutionary procedure. This data supports what we have seen first hand: platelet-rich plasma therapy is a safe and effective procedure to reduce pain and improve function for many patients.
Conditions
There is a constantly expanding body of evidence to suggest that regenerative medicine, specifically platelet-rich plasma therapy, can help promote healing and recovery from acute and/or chronic musculoskeletal disorders. And regenerative medicine can be used from head to toe, so anyone suffering from pain, weakness, or disability caused by an orthopedic injury or disorder could be a candidate for one of these revolutionary procedures. Some of the conditions that could benefit from platelet-rich plasma therapy include ligament and tendon strains, sprains, and tears; tendonosis; bursitis; plantar fasciitis; arthritis; and a wide range of spinal disorders, including degenerative disc disease, herniated discs, and impingements.