From the very beginning, people searched for the elusive Fountain of Youth. This quest even cost Ponce de Lena his life. So ... Is there a Fountain of Youth? May be so.
Recently a new field of medical specialty was born ... a specialty of regenerative medicine. Physicians from various fields, such as rheumatology, orthopedics, physical medicine and rehabilitation, as well as sports medicine, collaborated in the development of new methods to accelerate the healing process.
After all, if an earthworm can regenerate the other half of its body, if it is cut in two, or a salamander can restore a lost leg, why people cannot do something like that. Well, it turns out they can. Healing the incision with the formation of a scab initially, and then a scar - a close relative.
At first, it was widely used in athletes who needed to return to the playing field as quickly as possible, and PRP quickly became an important tool used to treat soft tissue injuries as well as arthritis.
It appears that platelet-rich plasma (PRP) can accelerate the healing process.
So what is PRP?
1. PRP is an ultra-concentrated blood product, the patient's own blood. Because it is a blood product, there are concerns that it is a form of blood doping. Nothing could be further from the truth. That's why ...
2. The concentrate contains a large number of platelets and very few red blood cells. Platelets are responsible for producing the initial clot during wound healing. They also contain many growth factors.
3. Growth factors from platelets are released upon contact with acute injury.
4. Not all PRPs are the same. There are several device manufacturers who claim to make an ideal platelet concentrate. But studies have shown wide variation in number, as well as the quality of the platelet concentrate.
5. PRP is used to treat multiple conditions, including tendinosis, arthritis, and bursitis. In addition, ligament injuries can respond to PDPs.
6. PRP should be administered immediately after an acute injury is caused. This is done using a procedure called “fenestration”, “stuffing” or tenotomy.
7. PRP must be entered using specific guidance to ensure accuracy. This guide is best provided with diagnostic ultrasound.
What really matters is that the person managing the PDP must be qualified and experienced.
It is also important that in order to transfer the treatment of PRP to the mainstream, it is necessary to conduct well-designed studies to confirm its effectiveness.
