Download PRP History Ect Letter - Academy Orthopaedic Clinic

Academy Orthopaedic Clinic, LLC
Dr. Thomas Grace ∙ Dr. Jeffrie Felter ∙ Dr. Rosalind Epstein
Danielle McCarthy PA-C ∙ April Hawkes PA-C ∙ Michelle Ruthmann PA-C
8301 Spain Rd NE Albuquerque, NM 87109 505∙821∙6663
History of PRP? PRP isn't new. It's been used since the 1980s in dentistry to aid tissue
recovery after periodontal surgery and to help heal skin ulcers, and has been used for
years in surgical centers to improve the success of bone grafting and cosmetic surgery.
More recently, doctors began to use PRP in athletic injuries to speed healing. The
results were so promising that the technique caught on for chronic pain as well.
Spain and Italy have been treating their soccer players for more than a decade with
PRP, and many NFL players have benefited from the procedure. Some receive an
injection as an alternative to a cortisone shot. A smaller number have had PRP
treatment in tandem with other procedures on harder-to-heal injuries, “Most of the
athletes know about this, and they are coming in and asking for it,” says James
Andrews, an orthopedic surgeon who frequently treats NFL athletes. Many teams send
players to him for treatments before, during, after, or instead of, surgery.
It’s no surprise that Yankee third basemen Alex Rodriguez, at least five Los Angeles
Dodgers, 20 major league soccer players and a champion racehorse from New Zealand
named Carabella have all benefited from PRP! Kobe Bryant went to Germany for a
similar treatment for his knee in 2013, and Hines Ward and Troy Polamalu's use of PRP
before winning Super Bowl XLIII in 2009 is well-known. While this may be relatively new
for athletes, it is not new for celebrities, politicians and the super-wealthy around the
world. The Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, and Finland have all made significant gains
with studies of PRP, and it is considered mainstream treatment in all of Europe.
Now thousands of doctors and some 500 hospitals in the US offer injections, a cost not
usually covered by insurance
What is PRP? Those willing to pay out of pocket can now treat their ailing joints with
platelet rich plasma (PRP) therapy, in which blood is spun until it contains a high
concentration of healing platelets. Instead of cutting with a scalpel or administering a
synthetic drug — these treatments have long recovery times and nasty side effects —
the healing mechanisms of the flesh should be put to work. The body heals best when it
heals itself. PRP can initiate an inflammatory and healing response in the absence of
an inciting injury in normal soft tissue. PRP therapy involves injecting a patient’s own
concentrated platelets to restart the healing in damaged tissues and joints. These small
cells are responsible for attracting white blood cells into injured areas to “clean up”
damaged and dead cells, which often produce non-productive stagnant swelling and
lead to chronic inflammation or “tendonitis.” This chronic damage, once thought to be
an active inflammatory problem, hence “tendonitis,” has recently been renamed
“tendonosis” because of the lack of inflammation found. Thus, the area is prevented
from healing because the swelling is non-productive and must be resolved for recovery
to proceed. Platelets injected into the area not only draw white blood cells in to “clean
up,” they also release growth factors that are directly responsible for tissue
regeneration.
The procedure typically takes an hour, including preparation and recovery time.
Up to three injections may be given within a six-month time frame ,but a large number of
people gain considerable to complete relief after the first or second injection Performed
safely in our office, PRP therapy can relieve pain without the risks of surgery, general
anesthesia, or hospital stays and without a prolonged recovery.
Academy Orthopaedic Clinic, LLC
Dr. Thomas Grace ∙ Dr. Jeffrie Felter ∙ Dr. Rosalind Epstein
Danielle McCarthy PA-C ∙ April Hawkes PA-C ∙ Michelle Ruthmann PA-C
8301 Spain Rd NE Albuquerque, NM 87109 505∙821∙6663
How does PRP help heal the body? The body’s first response to soft tissue injury is to
deliver platelet cells. Packed with growth and healing factors, platelets initiate repair
and attract the critical assistance of stem cell. Because it is so concentrated, PRP acts
as a potent tissue growth stimulant, amplifying the body’s efforts by delivering a higher
concentration of platelets directly into the area in need. A chronic tear has poor blood
flow and slowed healing capacity, and the PRP injection may stimulate the natural
repair of the body with little downtime. When PRP is injected into the damaged area it
stimulates the tendon or ligament, causing mild inflammation that triggers the healing
cascade. As a result, new collagen begins to develop. As this collagen matures it
begins to shrink causing the tightening and strengthening of the tendons or ligaments of
the damaged area. Pain usually lasts only a few days following. The peak of
effectiveness is around the 4-6 week mark. Initial results suggest that PRP therapy can
alleviate many arthritic symptoms, with the average patient reporting a significant
decrease in knee pain after 16 weeks of treatment. Both ultrasound and MRI images
have shown definitive tissue repair after PRP therapy, confirming the healing process.
The need for surgery can also be greatly reduced by treating injured tissues before the
damage progresses and the condition is irreversible.
Comparison to other treatments Although cortisone shots may temporarily provide
pain relief and reduce inflammation, studies have shown that cortisone can actually
weaken tissue. This occurs because cortisone blocks all inflammation, and some
inflammation is required for healing. PRP therapy introduces healing factors that
promote healthy inflammation that leads to healing, and can strengthen tendons and
ligaments, in some instances up to 40%. Hyaluronic injections are very effective at
increasing comfort and range of motion in injured joints. It does not, however, provide a
mechanism of regeneration and it is necessary to continue injections on a regular basis
to maintain benefit. PRP is regenerative, as it causes the body to grow new ligaments,
tendons and joint tissues. Ultimately, this healing will last and the tissues will function
like normal healthy tissues.
Support for this therapy comes from a controlled study of 120 patients given PRP
injections or hyaluronic acid, a lubricant that is often used to provide relief for arthritic
joints. According to the data, those given PRP injections reported significantly better
outcomes than those given the lubricant, with an average 60 percent decrease in painful
symptoms.
Perhaps the most convincing proof, however, comes from a study of 376 patients
with knee osteoarthritis. PRP treatment reduced pain symptoms for 67 percent of those
who received it, compared to just 32 percent of those who got either saline or hyaluronic
acid.
Please discuss with your provider if PRP may be a solution for your pain.