PRP is a preparation of your blood into a platelet concentrate in a smaller volume after processing in a centrifuge. Typically, 30 to 60 cc of blood is drawn from a vein and deposited in an FDA approved kit and then centrifuged. The kit separates the whole blood into the top plasma layer and bottom red blood cell layer. The process takes about 20 minutes.
Components of PRP include platelets, which contain growth factors, leukocytes and red blood cells. Vital regenerative growth factors include:
• EGF-Endothelial Growth Factor – induces cell growth and tensile strength
• IGF1-Insulin-like Growth Factor – Regulates cell growth and differentiation; Influences collagen and noncollagenous proteins
• VEGF-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor – Stimulates new blood vessel formation.
• PDGF-Platelet Derived Growth Factor – Stimulates cell growth and new blood vessels
• bFGF-Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor – Stimulates new blood vessels; Promotes stem cell differentiation and cell growth; Promotes collagen production and repairs tissue
• TGF-Beta-Transforming Growth Factor-Beta – Stimulates collagen Type I, III; Stimulates new blood vessels; Inhibits collagen breakdown.
PRP supplies and releases growth factors from the platelets to stimulate a regenerative response that augments healing and promotes repair in tissues that would not normally happen in issues with injury or low healing potential.
PRP is used to promote healing in soft tissues (such as muscle, tendon, ligament, and cartilage), which has slow and inadequate potential for healing d/t limited blood supply and slow cell turnover. It stimulates wound healing by inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling of soft tissue.
• Inflammation stage – day 0 to day 6
• Proliferation stage – day 6 to day 14
• Maturation stage – day 8 to 1 year, but peaks at 3 months.
Different structures of the body heal at different rates. Smoking and alcohol can impair tissue repair. NSAIDs distress the connective tissue healing cascade. Corticosteroids or cortisone affect healing pathways by decreasing immune response
