When tendon trouble -- such as tennis elbow or Achilles tendon pain --
doesn’t respond to traditional treatment, an injection of the patient’s
own blood plasma into the tendon may provide relief.
The March issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter describes this new
treatment approach, now being used for some patients at Mayo Clinic.
Tendinopathy, ongoing pain in frequently used tendons, can affect the
elbow, knee, hamstring tendons, Achilles tendon and other tendons.
Traditional treatments are physical therapy, medications, activity
modification and the use of a brace. Even with treatment, the pain
associated with tendinopathy can drag on for months.
In the past, doctors have believed that tendinopathy resulted from
inflammation. Now, researchers are approaching treatment from a
different perspective, one that doesn’t focus on reducing inflammation,
but instead stimulates healing of the tendon.
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is injected directly into the ailing tendon.
Plasma is the liquid portion of the blood that transports red and white
blood cells and platelets through the blood vessels. It’s derived from
the patient’s own blood, a process that involves spinning a blood sample
at high speeds. One byproduct is plasma, which contains a high
concentration of platelets -- thus the name platelet-rich plasma.
Doctors have found that about 70 percent of those receiving PRP therapy
showed improvement. Early research suggests that PRP injections:
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Attract healing cells to tendon tissues that have deteriorated
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Stimulate new growth of tendon cells
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Stimulate production of tendon collagen -- the building blocks that
give tendons their strength
PRP is still considered experimental and is not appropriate for all
patients. At Mayo Clinic, the use of PRP is considered when tendon
problems have persisted for three months and haven’t responded to
nonsurgical treatments. Those with bleeding disorders, a platelet
disorder or infection are not candidates for PRP therapy.
Source Mayo Clinic Health Letter