PRP: The Simple and Not So Simple

Many of you are either very familiar or somewhat familiar with platelet-rich plasma injections commonly known as PRP. These are great options for osteoarthritis of a joint, a chronic tendon problem as well as some ligament and fascia problems. Our top conditions treated with PRP include knee osteoarthritis, tennis & golfers’ elbow, plantar fasciitis, rotator cuff tears and Achilles tendon conditions.

When it comes to PRP, here are the simple and not so simple :

Simple

-This is an office procedure, that from start to finish, only takes 45 minutes or less

-A simple blood draw from an arm vein is typically painless

-For a joint injection, pain afterwards is typically very mild

-Risks are exceedingly low as abnormal bleeding, infection, a blood clot or nerve damage are basically nonexistent.

Not So Simple

-We have been performing PRP injections for nearly 15 years. Literally hundreds of hours have been poured into training and fine-tuning the knowledge and skill set it takes to be highly competent to perform this procedure

-Some of our patients have very small veins. Fortunately, we have developed a skill set of ultrasound-guided venipuncture, making blood draws much more successful and less painful on those more challenging patients

-Ultrasound guidance, in our opinion, is a must when giving PRP injections. If you want these growth factor rich platelets to make it to the intended location with great accuracy, then ultrasound guidance is necessary. This is a skill set we have developed over the past 16 years

-With some soft tissue PRP injections, such as partial tears of tendons, we have to prepare our patients that there will be a spike in pain after the procedure, often for one to two weeks. Fortunately, the pain is typically not as significant as it would be if you had a surgery

-Finally, patients have to be patient! PRP exerts its positive effects very gradually. Most patients are seeing a benefit within one to two months, and the maximum benefit often is seen between 6 and 12 months. Thus, we have to advise our patients that with many orthopedic conditions, there is no “quick fix”

Ultimately, PRP can be simple and not so simple, depending on your perspective. Generally speaking, we leave the simple part up to the patient, and we will handle the not so simple aspects of the procedure.

As always, let us know if we can be of assistance to you!

F. Clarke Holmes, M.D.

I Don't Want Surgery But What Else Can I Do?

Fortunately, 90% of problems that come into an orthopedic clinic do not require surgery.

Approximately 80% of those conditions treated nonsurgically can be treated with traditional treatment measures: rest, activity modification, physical therapy, medications, supplements, lifestyle changes, brace, splint, a boot walker, steroid injection, etc. This is “bread and butter“ treatment administered by an orthopedic/sports medicine physician.

Now, what about that last 20% of non-surgical treatment? That’s often where we have to think “outside the box.” Let’s say in the case of osteoarthritis and tendon problems, that’s where treatment like platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections can be very helpful. For example, in the case of knee osteoarthritis, how would you like to have less pain, less stiffness, less swelling and better function? What if we could accomplish that with a treatment that is minimally-invasive, safe, proven and natural? As a bonus, this treatment has preventative benefits, meaning we likely are slowing down the cartilage breakdown in your knee. These are the benefits seen with PRP injections.

In the case of tendon or fascia problem like a rotator cuff partial tear, tennis or golfer’s elbow or plantar fasciitis, PRP is designed to be a healing agent. We are using these growth-factor rich injections to accomplish healing, not just make you feel better like a steroid injection might.

Check out a few of our previous blogs, and let us know if we can help you!

https://www.impactsportsnashville.com/blog/2023/12/8/prp-the-gift-of-health

https://www.impactsportsnashville.com/blog/2023/9/23/5-things-you-have-to-know-if-you-have-knee-pain

https://www.impactsportsnashville.com/blog/2023/8/5/our-top-5-treatments-for-knee-oa

F. Clarke Holmes, M.D.

Five Keys to Successful Outcomes with PRP Injections

1. Quality Equipment- we’ve chosen a PRP system created by one of the industry’s leaders in orthobiologic injections.. This is our 5th PRP system to use over the past 12 years. Thus, we are always searching for the best option to produce a high-quality PRP solution.

2. Appropriate Selection of Patients- we attempt to choose patients and conditions that are excellent candidates for PRP injections. Admittedly, not every patient is an ideal candidate, yet their options may be limited in terms of other forms of treatment, or they are willing to have PRP due to its excellent risk-benefit and cost-benefit ratio compared to more invasive treatments. Partial tendon tears, plantar fasciitis and osteoarthritis of the knee, hip and shoulder comprise 95% of our PRP injections.

3. Appropriate Pre-Procedure and Post-Procedure Instructions and Compliance-little things can be the difference between PRP succeeding or not succeeding or between a good outcome and a great outcome. For example, it’s important for a patient to be off any anti-inflammatories at least a week before and 2 weeks after a PRP injection. It’s also important to rest the treatment area, and this form of rest really varies depending on the patient and their area treated. A patient’s timetable for return to exercise and/or rehabilitation must be carefully outlined.

4. Quality Preparation of the PRP solution- not all PRP is the same. The platelet concentration and number of platelets can vary and are important aspects of the potential success of PRP. How much blood we take from the patient and the PRP system dictate these numbers. Also, we typically create a leukocyte-poor (low numbers of white blood cells) for joint injections and leukocyte-rich (higher white blood cells and the highest number of platelets) solution for tendon injections.

5. Accuracy of the Injection, Preferably with Ultrasound Guidance- using ultrasound for the injection often results in less pain, lower risk, and greater accuracy. We place the PRP exactly where it needs to be and avoid hitting other structures like bone, cartilage, nerves and blood vessels. We often say, “if you’re going to invest your time and money in this procedure, don’t you want it done as precisely as possible?”

More medical professionals are performing platelet-rich plasma injections than ever. This innovative treatment is not going away and will only evolve in the years to come. If you think you are a first-time or repeat candidate for a PRP injections, then come see us!

F. Clarke Holmes, M.D.