REGENERATIVE MEDICINE OF OSTEOTENDINARY AND MUSCULAR PATHOLOGY
Regenerative medicine, so fashionable lately, offers us Platelet Rich Plasma or PRP, with a cell regeneration power that has been more than demonstrated in different medical specialties.
It is a very common condition that presents as heel pain, predominantly in the morning, which improves throughout the day only to worsen again depending on the patient’s activity. It consists of inflammation of the plantar fascia at its attachment to the calcaneus (heel bone), which can become chronic and is often very difficult to treat.
In addition to medical and hygiene measures such as walking in closed shoes with as much cushioning as possible, even adding silicone insoles, we also have anti-inflammatory medications, rehabilitation, radiofrequency therapy, and corticosteroid injections. However, recently, it has been shown that the use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) progressively improves symptoms and regenerates the fascia-bone junction.
PRP injection is a simple and safe technique that has no side effects because it uses the patient’s own blood.
It involves drawing a small amount of the patient’s blood, which is placed in tubes that are then centrifuged. This procedure will cause the blood to separate into several layers, from which we will use the platelet-rich portion. These platelets contain granules that, once activated, release growth factors into the infiltrated tissue. These growth factors then stimulate cell growth based on the target tissue and the receptors expressed.
Approximately three infiltrations, spaced one month apart, are recommended.
It is inflammation, or sometimes degeneration of the tissues (tendinosis) once it becomes chronic, that causes debilitating pain at the epicondyle, the point where the forearm extensor muscles insert. This is why it is associated with sports and activities involving repetitive wrist and elbow extension. It is also known as tennis elbow, but it is not exclusively caused by this sport.
Treatment ranges from reducing the activity that causes the problem, anti-inflammatories, rehabilitation, radiofrequency therapy, corticosteroid injections (not recommended for overuse due to the risk of spontaneous tendon rupture), to platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections. Three PRP injections are recommended, spaced one month apart.
PRP injections are a simple and safe technique that has no side effects because they use the patient’s own blood.
The procedure involves drawing a small amount of the patient’s blood, placing it in tubes, and then centrifuging it. This will cause the blood to separate into several layers, from which we will use the platelet-rich portion. These platelets contain granules that, once activated, will release growth factors into the infiltrated tissue. These growth factors will then create cells based on the target tissue and the receptors expressed.
It is the inflammation, or sometimes the degeneration of tissues (tendinosis) once it becomes chronic, that causes debilitating pain at the medial epicondyle, the point where the forearm flexor muscles insert. This is why it is associated with sports and activities involving repetitive wrist and elbow flexion. It is also known as golfer’s elbow, but it is not exclusively caused by this sport.
Treatment ranges from reducing the activity that causes the injury, anti-inflammatories, rehabilitation, radiofrequency therapy, corticosteroid injections (not recommended for overuse due to the risk of spontaneous tendon rupture), to platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections. Three PRP injections are recommended, spaced one month apart.
PRP injections are a simple and safe technique that has no side effects because they use the patient’s own blood.
The procedure involves drawing a small amount of the patient’s blood, placing it in tubes, and then centrifuging it. This will cause the blood to separate into several layers, from which we will use the platelet-rich portion. These platelets contain granules that, once activated, will release growth factors into the infiltrated tissue. These growth factors will then create cells based on the target tissue and the receptors expressed.
The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that surround the shoulder joint and help keep the humeral head within the glenoid cavity, a very shallow socket. Rotator cuff injuries are a very common orthopedic condition that increases with age. There are two groups of patients: younger patients, in whom the injury is related to heavy lifting and repetitive overhead movements, and an older group in whom tendon degeneration is present.
Although in many cases the cause of degeneration and inflammation is osteoarthritis of the acromioclavicular joint, which produces bone growth that causes friction with the tendon, there are also cases of intrasubstance tendon degeneration. In these cases, there is no such friction, or subacromial impingement syndrome, in which the subacromial space is reduced, causing tendon involvement.
In some cases, despite these factors, the necessary treatment will be surgical, involving an acromioplasty to increase the subacromial space.
The symptoms are shoulder pain that radiates down the arm and worsens with arm abduction, especially above 90 degrees. This pain is more pronounced at night when the patient is in bed.
Treatment ranges from reducing the activity that caused the pain, especially in younger individuals, to anti-inflammatory medications, rehabilitation, radiofrequency therapy, corticosteroid injections (not recommended for overuse due to the risk of spontaneous tendon rupture), and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections, which aim to regenerate the intrasubstance tendinosis of the tendon to improve symptoms.
PRP injections are a simple and safe technique that has no side effects because they use the patient’s own blood.
The procedure involves drawing a small amount of the patient’s blood, placing it in tubes that are then centrifuged. This separates the blood into layers, and the platelet-rich portion is used. These platelets contain granules that, once activated, will release into the tissue where they have been infiltrated a series of growth factors that will create cells according to the target tissue and the receptors expressed.
It is inflammation at the junction of the semimembranosus, sartorius, and gracilis muscles, on the inner side of the knee. It is very common in people who participate in sports that require sudden and repetitive movements and pivoting on the knee.
Clinically, it presents as continuous pain on the inner side of the knee accompanied by local swelling.
Treatment ranges from rest, anti-inflammatories, and local cold therapy, to rehabilitation, radiofrequency ablation, corticosteroid injections, and, more recently, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections.
PRP injection is a simple and safe technique that has no side effects because it uses the patient’s own blood.
It involves drawing a small amount of the patient’s blood, which is placed in tubes that are then centrifuged. This process separates the blood into layers, and the platelet-rich plasma is used. These platelets contain granules that, once activated, will release into the tissue where they have been infiltrated a series of growth factors that will create cells according to the target tissue and the receptors expressed.
It is an inflammation of the patellar tendon at its insertion point on the tibial tuberosity. It presents with pain in the front of the knee at this level. It is typical in athletes who frequently jump, although it can also occur in patients who do not participate in these sports.
Treatment ranges from rest, anti-inflammatories, and local cold therapy, to rehabilitation, radiofrequency therapy, and corticosteroid injections. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections are the most recommended treatment once the condition becomes chronic and the other treatments do not produce the desired results.
PRP injections are a simple and safe technique that has no side effects because they use the patient’s own blood.
The procedure involves drawing a small amount of the patient’s blood, which is placed in tubes that are then centrifuged. This process separates the blood into layers, and the platelet-rich plasma is used. These platelets contain granules that, once activated, will release into the tissue where they have been infiltrated a series of growth factors that will create cells according to the target tissue and the receptors expressed.
A meniscal tear is an alteration of the menisci that can be acute, resulting in a contusion or rupture, or degenerative due to loss of hydration and elasticity, which can also lead to degenerative tears without a history of trauma.
Surgery is not always necessary when a meniscal tear is present. In other cases, depending on the patient’s age, activity level, and type of tear, meniscal repair is possible. When this is not possible, a partial or total meniscectomy is performed, depending on the case.
After a meniscectomy, some side effects will inevitably occur over time due to the absence of a meniscus in the knee joint. This will progress to osteoarthritis, which over time could eventually require a knee replacement.
However, we now have platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy, which is indicated in cases where surgery is not recommended as a first-line treatment.
PRP injection is a simple and safe technique that has no side effects because it uses the patient’s own blood.
It involves drawing a small amount of blood from the patient, which is placed in tubes that are then centrifuged. This separates the blood into several layers, from which we will use the platelet-rich portion. These platelets contain granules that, once activated, release growth factors into the infiltrated tissue. These growth factors then stimulate cell growth based on the target tissue and the receptors expressed.
It is the progressive wear and tear of the articular surface. It is classified into four grades:
- Grade I or softening of the cartilage that depresses upon touch but without fissures
- Grade II: superficial fissures are present
- Grade III: the fissures are deep
- Grade IV: exposure of the subchondral bone with loss of the full thickness of the cartilage.
With the advent of bioregenerative medicine, the aim is to slow down, if not stop, the progression of the natural degeneration of our musculoskeletal system.
We are talking about a condition that affects a very high percentage of the population, making it a significant problem.
Today, with the help of PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma), we can improve the symptoms of these patients and slow the progression of this degeneration.
