PRP therapy is a method that encourages our body’s natural healing process. PRP is derived from the patient’s own blood. This PRP treatment method increases the effectiveness of the healing process by strengthening our body’s natural healing capacity by using the natural growth factors found in platelet cells in our blood to help our body heal a damaged area itself. This is achieved by the high levels of growth factors contained in the PRP material.
What is PRP Treatment?
PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) or Platelet Rich Plasma is a kind of treatment method that is prepared and obtained from the patient’s own blood and does not contain any medication.
In addition, PRP treatment is the process of processing the plasma obtained from the patient’s own blood to contain a high concentration of platelets (cells involved in blood clotting) and then injecting it with a needle into the area to be treated.
Our blood is made up of four main components:
- Plasma: Plasma is the liquid component of blood, about 90% of plasma is water.
- Red blood cells: Red blood cells carry oxygen.
- White blood cells: Involved in the body’s fight against infections.
- Platelets: Platelets are cells that circulate in the blood and play a role in blood clotting in case of bleeding.
Platelets are also the first to intervene in the event of an injury, collecting at the site of the injury. When platelets reach the site of injury, platelets are activated and release growth factors and proteins called cytokines that promote healing of injured tissues.
PRP is a treatment consisting of plasma and a high concentration of platelets derived from the patient’s own blood. It is injected into the injured, problematic area so that a high concentration of platelets (as well as growth factors and cytokines) are delivered to the injury site and help the damaged tissue to heal.
What is in PRP?
There is plasma and platelet cells, which form part of your own blood. There is no other substance or medicine in PRP. PRP content; It contains platelet cells and growth factors necessary for healing. These growth factors are; PDGF, TGF-B, VEGF, IGF-1, EGF, CTGF, FGF-2
How is PRP Prepared?
To make PRP, you first take your blood and then put it in a centrifuge, a device that rotates at high speed. The centrifuge separates red blood cells from plasma and platelets.
After the red blood cells are removed, a mixture of plasma and platelet concentration remains. PRP contains 3 to 5 times the number of platelet cells in the blood circulating in your body.
The blood taken from the patient is separated by spinning at high speed in a centrifuge for a certain period of time. After the spinning process is over, the red area remaining in the lower half of the tube consists of red blood cells; no material is ever taken from this area.
The upper part is divided into 3 parts. The upper 2/5 part, the middle 2/5 part and the lower 1/5 part. Taking material from the lower 1/5 part is left to the preference of the practitioner. Leukocyte cells are found here. If material is taken from this area, it is called leukocyte-rich PRP, if not, it is called leukocyte-poor PRP. In the upper 2/5 part, there are almost the same amount of platelets as blood. The area with the most platelets is the middle 2/5 part. The number of platelets here is approximately 3 to 5 times the number of platelets in the blood. The material taken from the upper and middle 2/5 is used for PRP application. Sometimes, when the damage is large, only the middle 2/5 of the 2 separate kits are used. The aim here is to collect more platelets.
PRP also contains white blood cells (also known as leukocytes). When PRP is prepared to have higher than normal levels of leukocytes, it is called leukocyte-rich PRP. When it is prepared to have lower than normal levels of leukocytes, it is called leukocyte-poor PRP.
What is a PRP Needle?
After the PRP content is carefully prepared, it is delivered to the problem area with a needle. The PRP content is then transferred to an injector, and this content is delivered to the area where it will be applied with the help of ultrasound.
How Many Sessions Are PRP Injections Performed?
The number of sessions in PRP treatment varies between 1 and 3. When deciding on the number of sessions; situations such as the age of the patient, the degree of injury and what it is for are evaluated.
How Does PRP Work?
In particular, PRP treatment is applied to accelerate the healing of injured tendons, ligaments, muscles and joints by delivering the patient’s own platelet cells in concentrated form to the problem area with a needle.
PRP injections also utilize each patient’s own healing system to improve musculoskeletal problems.
Especially in intra-articular applications, its effect is in the direction of reducing inflammation, that is, anti-inflammatory. The effect of PRP at the cellular level is to reduce cell death. It does this by reducing pro-apoptic signals. PRP also has the effect of increasing the density of connective tissue outside the cell (extracellular matrix).
How is a PRP Injection Performed?
After the PRP is prepared, the PRP material is transferred to an injector. PRP is applied by entering the area to be treated with a needle, usually under ultrasound guidance. The use of ultrasound in PRP needle treatment increases the success of PRP treatment, as the use of ultrasound ensures that the PRP reaches the right area.
In musculoskeletal system problems, PRP is usually applied to intra-articular, muscle, tendon and connective tissues.
Conclusion
PRP treatment is a method that encourages our body’s natural healing process. It is the process of processing the plasma obtained from the patient’s own blood to contain a high concentration of platelets (cells involved in blood clotting) and then injecting it with a needle into the area to be healed.
Especially in PRP treatment, the number of sessions varies between 1 and 3. PRP injections use each individual patient’s own healing system to improve their musculoskeletal problems.
Side effects may include pain, swelling and bruising.