PRP - Patient Information and Instructions

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Treatment – Patient Information/instructions

MUSCLE, TENDON & JOINT INJURY TREATMENT UK

You may be reading this note because you have opted to have treatment with an injection of Platelet Rich Plasma or P-PRP for your musculoskeletal condition. Moreover, your condition has been identified as one that should benefit from PRP injection treatment. Here we provide some basic information and instructions regarding the PRP injection procedure.

Background on Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) injection treatment

Here, at the Dynamic Clinic, we are very experienced in PRP treatment and have been performing this fantastic treatment for several years for many conditions. PRP is derived from your own blood. A small sample of blood is taken from your arm and then placed in a special iStem PRP kit. It is then put in a centrifuge and is spun for around 10-15 minutes. This separates the blood into important components which are red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma (the non-cellular fluid in the blood). We then extract the important cells we need, along with highly concentrated platelets, the cells that are responsible for promoting blood clotting and healing growth factors. The cells also contain a number of specialised chemicals called bioactive growth factors. These important growth factors interact with local cells and send signals that initiate a variety of events such as cell proliferation and migration. The function for PRP injection treatment is to deliver high concentrations of growth factors to a site of injury, for stimulating healing responses and reducing inflammation in the tissue.

Potential risks and benefits of PRP treatment

Today, injection of P-PRP into damaged or inflamed tissue has been shown to be highly effective in the majority of patients with various conditions, and research is continually growing and amplifying. Most P-PRP injections are being done in areas of tendon damage, joint cartilage issues or chronic injury which are causing ongoing pain and reduced function for many patients. Examples include the knee arthritis, Achilles tendon, tennis elbow, shoulder tendinitis and many other various conditions. Overall, your clinician may feel that PRP is a reasonable form of treatment for you when looking at your condition and in comparison with other forms of treatment including injection therapy, surgery and other conservative means like physical rehabilitation.

What to expect during PRP treatment

PRP treatment is extremely quick and simple, along with being very safe and associated with minimal downtime. You should stop taking any non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication (Ibuprofen) 7 days before the procedure, and should not take these medications again for 5 days following the procedure. Common examples are inclusive of naproxen, ibuprofen and blood thinning agents like aspirin. Non-steroidal medication can hinder the action of some of the growth factors present in PRP, this may render the injection ineffective. You may use paracetamol before and after the procedure. Generally speaking, the patient can carry on with normal daily activities on the same day as the treatment, with minimal downtime needed. However, you are advised to take things easy a couple of day post-treatment. The patient will personally be given further instructions during and post-treatment by the clinician.

Post-procedure guidelines

Generally speaking, PRP treatment is very well tolerated with minimal side effects. It is very unlikely, but if necessary you may ice the area for 5-10 minutes every 3-5 hours for the first 24–48 hours following the procedure. It is very uncommon to experience a ‘flare’ reaction post procedure. If this was to occur, begin taking paracetamol medication if needed and notify us following the procedure. Swelling, again is uncommon following the procedure, if any progressive swelling or redness or fever occurs – notify us immediately so it can be assessed for the chance of infection (again, an infection is an extremely rare complication but which may warrant antibiotic treatment). If symptoms are severe, you may be directed to A&E but only in rare circumstances.

Activity level and follow up

For the day of the procedure and after, limit the activity related to the injection site to activities of daily living. Depending on the injection site and the instructions from your clinician, you may be advised to refrain from too much weight-bearing on the day of the injection. Return to higher-level activities such as running, cycling, golf, weight-bearing, etc… will be directed by your procedure clinician and rehabilitation therapist. Please make an appointment with your clinician at that time to assess your progress and help us collect systemic data that will be useful for the progress.