Regenerative Therapy

Platelet rich plasma is a type of regenerative therapy available for pain management.
Platelet rich plasma is a type of regenerative therapy available for pain management. PRP is defined as a sample of plasma with a platelet concentration that is, 3 to 5 times greater than the physiologic platelet concentration found in healthy whole blood.11 The normal range for platelet concentration in whole blood is between 150,000 and 450,000 platelets per microliter. 
Mechanism of Action:
PRP modulates the repair and regeneration of damaged articular cartilage in the joints and delays the degeneration of cartilage by stimulation of mesenchymal stem cell migration, proliferation, and differentiation into articular chondrocytes. PRP is a biological response modifier of inflammatory nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway and PRP reduces the pain by decreasing inflammation and angiogenesis of the synovial membrane where pain receptors are localized. PRP has the therapeutic potential not only to promote tissue regeneration, but also to contribute to articular cartilage lubrication by decreasing the friction coefficient and minimizing wear and tear. Although further refinements and improvements are needed in standardized PRP preparations, PRP may modulate regeneration of articular cartilage and retards the progression of OA by stimulating cell migration, proliferation, differentiation of progenitor/stem cells, joint homeostasis, and joint lubrication.
Procedure:
It is a day care procedure performed by collecting patients own blood in a tube which is then processed immediately. After 30 mins , the PRP content of the processed sample is injected into the concerned area of pain under the guidance of ultra-sonography or live X-ray.
Indications:
  • Knee pain
  • Shoulder pain and other joint pain
  • Ligament injury
  • Tendon injury
  • Intradiscal injection for back pain
Complications:
  • There are rare chances of infection but the procedure is performed under strict sterile injections
  • There is a transient increase in pain after the injection of PRP due to the inflammatory reaction that occurs after the injection.