WHY PRP THREAPY?
WHY ARE SOME MANY PHYSICIANS USING PRP?
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a high concentration of platelet-rich plasma protein, obtained from a patient's withdrawn blood. The whole blood is spun at high speed to separate it into distinct layers. One of which is the PRP which contains a high concentration of growth factors that encourage a rapid healing response of various tissue types.
The high concentration of platelets jump-starts the body’s self-healing and spreads growth factors to areas otherwise untouched by blood (like ligaments, tendons, and joints). Because PRP therapy uses the patient's own blood, there’s little risk of rejection and dangers posed by bloodborne infections are virtually eliminated.
WHAT CAN I USE PRP FOR?
PRP can be injected or applied to an injured area. For example, in Achilles tendonitis, a condition commonly seen in runners and tennis players, the heel cord becomes swollen, inflamed, and painful. A mixture of PRP and local anesthetic can be injected directly into this inflamed tissue triggering an accelerated healing response to repair the damaged tissue in this area.
PRP may also be used to improve healing after surgery for some injuries. For example, an athlete with a completely torn heel cord may require surgery to repair the tendon. Healing of the torn tendon may be improved by treating the injured area with PRP during surgery. This is done by preparing the PRP in a way that allows it to be stitched into torn tissues.
BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOS OF A PRP BLOOD SMEAR
To the right you will see two slides, the first is a blood smear without the injection of PRP. The second represents how the blood cells react when PRP is introduced to the slide.
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