Current Status and Advancements in Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Regenerative Medicine
• Sports Medicine

Background:

• Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has emerged as a significant therapeutic modality over the past 10-15 years.
• Its application spans various medical fields, with a notable focus on regenerative medicine and infertility treatments.
• Musculoskeletal conditions represent a primary area of research and clinical application for PRP.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current evidence and applications of Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in treating musculoskeletal conditions.
• To highlight the areas where PRP has demonstrated efficacy and where research is still limited or conflicting.

Main Methods:

• A review of existing literature and level I evidence regarding the use of PRP in musculoskeletal conditions.
• Analysis of research focusing on specific conditions such as osteoarthritis, tendinopathies, and other soft tissue injuries.

Main Results:

• Level I evidence supports PRP efficacy in osteoarthritis, epicondylitis, bursitis, compressive neuropathy, plantar fasciitis, muscular injuries, and osteochondral lesions.
• Research is most concentrated on knee osteoarthritis and lateral epicondylitis, with less data on spinal and hand conditions.
• Conflicting level I evidence exists for tendinopathies and partial tendon tears, with support for rotator cuff but not consistently for patellar or Achilles injuries.

Conclusions:

• Despite conflicting evidence in certain conditions like tendinopathies, the use and popularity of PRP for musculoskeletal issues continue to rise.
• Further research is needed to clarify PRP's role in specific tendinopathies and other less-studied musculoskeletal conditions.
• PRP remains a widely adopted treatment modality in orthopedics and sports medicine for a range of ailments.