An increasing number of orthopedic practices use platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to help heal musculoskeletal injuries and treat orthopedic conditions. PRP uses a mixture of your blood to stimulate your body’s healing powers.
PRP has helped revolutionize orthopedic practice. It’s another tool doctors now have available to doctors to treat your musculoskeletal pain conservatively. However, not all PRPs are of the same quality.
Our board-certified orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Jonathan Shults, with Coastal Empire Orthopedics, is licensed to provide Regenexx PRP and use Regenexx PRP protocols developed through a rigorous research and development approach. Regenexx PRP is different from traditional PRP used in many orthopedic practices. Here’s why:
Traditional PRP in most orthopedic practices increases the platelet count 2-5 times the normal number of platelets in your blood by using a simple centrifuge machine in the office of the practice.
A specialized Regenexx lab can generate 10-40 times your normal number of platelets. Regenexx lab technicians custom-process your blood sample. This results in a much higher mass of healing growth factors that activate the stem cells to begin the repair process near the site of your pain.
We’re able to customize the treatment based on your unique needs. Our test results show that higher concentrations provide better results in helping to heal your damaged tissue.
The typical centrifuge used to extract platelets from a patient’s blood leaves too many red and often too many white blood cells in the mixture injected into you. It’s usually red. This causes a larger initial inflammatory response after the injection. It also interferes with stem cell response.
Your PRP injection should trigger your stem cell response, and the mixture of your blood injected back into you should be an amber color. Our PRP is of a higher quality than traditional PRP because it maximizes the response of local stem cells near your injury.
Traditional PRP releases growth factors into your bloodstream over about a week. We offer a platelet lysate version of PRP, which releases all growth factors at once. It’s proven to be anti-inflammatory. We use this specialized version of PRP during spinal procedures where nerves are proximate.
Regenexx has developed a database that tracks results based on the area of your body being treated. You can see the results of the procedure from a pull-down menu categorized by the part of the body where PRP is injected. For example, you can see results for more than 23,000 Regenexx patients being tracked after PRP is injected into the knee.
There is more to learn about PRP for soft tissue injuries and conditions such as arthritis. Regenexx has a research and development team working in a specialized lab to refine protocols for optimal results.
For expert PRP treatment, call Coastal Empire Orthopedics or book an appointment online today.
