Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP)

Gwinnett Medical Center (GMC) is committed to providing the latest technology to transform healthcare. With the addition of Platelet rich-plasma (PRP) an emerging nonsurgical procedure, GMC continues to meet the growing need of the community.

What is PRP?

Platelet rich plasma (PRP) is a new treatment used for some common orthopedic conditions, including sport injuries. PRP is a concentration of platelet cells taken from your blood, and these platelets have growth factors that may help in the healing process of chronic injuries. Growth factors are chemicals that signal the body to initiate a healing response. By injecting PRP into areas of an injury, the hope is to stimulate and optimize your body's ability to heal the chronic conditions.

What conditions does PRP treat?

PRP has been used to help with wound healing, and to stimulate bone formation in spinal fusion surgery. Recently, PRP has been used in outpatient settings for treatment of common overuse conditions including Achilles tendonitis, rotator cuff tendonitis, tennis elbow, patellar tendonitis and ligaments.

How is PRP obtained?

PRP is obtained from the patient. Blood is withdrawn from a vein in the patient's arm and the blood is placed in a centrifuge, a machine that spins at a high speed to separate the different types of blood cells. The physician extracts the platelet-rich portion of the blood, and injects this into the area of injury.

How is PRP injected? PRP

injections are given as soon as the blood has been spun and the platelets separated. A teaspoon or two of the PRP is injected into the damaged area, with the help of ultrasound guidance. The entire PRP injection takes less than 15 minutes and increases the concentration of platelets up to 500 percent. Sometimes PRP injections are given as a series of injections over a span of several weeks.

How effective is PRP treatment(s)?

Laboratory studies have shown that PRP can help increase certain growth factors that are important in the healing process.

Want to learn more?

Please read about PRP and Dr. Val Phillips at Gwinnett Medical Center in the Spring 2010 Vim & Vigor.

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