Platelet Rich Plasma therapy is used to mend injuries to tendons and ligaments without surgery.

The procedure involves deriving concentrated platelets and white blood cells from a patient’s blood with the use of a closed platelet separator system and then mixing the PRP with activating agents for injection back into the patient’s own injured tissue.

The injection causes a repair response from the body within the injured tissue. The repair response begins with the formation of a local blood clot in muscle, tendon, ligament, and bone followed by the dissolving of the implanted platelets. This releases growth factors that cause fibrous scar tissue to be formed, which results in injured tissue being replaced with healthy tissue.

Because the materials used in the treatment are derived from your own body, the chance of adverse drug reactions is eliminated, making the process completely safe.

with the use of closed PRP systems, no other product or material is allowed to enter during the PRP production process. The systems can also be completely automatic, which allows for consistent reproducible concentrates of PRP.

Other studies currently underway include trials on the performance of PRP therapy with rotator-cuff shoulder strains, partial knee-ligament tears and bone fractures within the United States as well as in India and Sweden.

In addition, researchers are also probing possible use of PRP therapy coupled with surgery as follow up to a successful study in which a group in Spain used the combined treatment on Achilles’ tendon ruptures that resulted in a reduced recovery time.