Platelet Rich Plasma

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy in orthopedics involves using a concentration of a patient’s own platelets to accelerate healing in musculoskeletal injuries. PRP is produced by drawing a small amount of blood, processing it to separate and concentrate platelets, and then injecting the PRP into the injured area. This process attempts to harness the natural healing properties of platelets, which contain growth factors and proteins that promote tissue repair and reduce inflammation.

Exosomes

Exosome treatment is a regenerative therapy that utilizes exosomes or tiny extracellular vesicles naturally released by cells (platelets or stem cells), to promote healing and repair while controlling inflammation. These vesicles contain various growth factors, proteins, and genetic material that can communicate with other cells and stimulate the repair processes to heal injured tissues.

Stem Cells

Stem cell treatment can be from adult stem cells or embryonic stem cells. Injecting stem cells into the damaged tissue reduces inflammation and pain, improves function, and may help the tissue to heal and regrow. Stem cells can also interact with other blood cells to stimulate the immune system and act as powerful anti-inflammatory agents.

Corticosteroid Injection

Corticosteroid injections are local injections of anti-inflammatory medication delivered to a joint or other body part. It is called Kenalog and has the advantage of avoiding oral medication as well as delivering a high concentration of medication to the affected area.

Short-term side effects can be possible lightening of the skin area, infection, local bleeding, soreness, or post-injection flare. Additionally, diabetics can see elevated blood sugars after the injection.

Long-term side effects can be tendon weakening or tendon rupture with chronic use.

Corticosteroid injections are useful for any orthopedic inflammatory process such as: arthritis, tendonitis, bursitis, and/or synovitis.

Viscosupplementation

Viscosupplementation is also called joint lubricant therapy. It is used for patients with arthritis that have tried previous corticosteroid injections.

There are several brands of injection, including: Supartz, Orthovisc, Synvisc, Hyalgan, and Euflexxa. These are given in 3 injections, 1 week apart.

Supartz is a solution of highly purified sodium hyaluronate. This is a natural lubricant found in synovial fluid in all joints. Arthritis negatively affects the synovial fluid and decreases the ability to lubricate and protect the articular cartilage of the joint. Supartz injections’ benefits are to restore the cushioning and lubricating properties of the normal joint fluid called synovial fluid.

It was FDA-approved in 2001 for use in the knee.

Short-term side effects can be possible infection, local bleeding, soreness, or post-injection reaction. Patients not indicated for these injections are those with: allergies to chicken or eggs, skin diseases or infections around the knee, or any previous allergic reaction to lubricant injections in the past.

You will receive an E.O.B. (Explanation of Benefits) in the mail from your insurance company after our office submits a bill for today’s visit. Insurance companies view surgical care as being three different entities: 1) operative treatment in the hospital, 2) injection during an office visit, and 3) fracture care during an office visit. Therefore, for any of these treatments, you may see surgery on your E.O.B. even though “surgery” was not performed.