Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP)

Advanced biocellular therapy from a patient’s own blood that regulates inflammation, stimulates repair and promotes remodeling of damaged tissues.

What is PRP?

We begin with a simple blood draw that is processed in our in-office lab under highly specialized protocols to produce platelet-rich plasma (PRP) tailored to each patient. We then administer a PRP injection directly to the painful area to promote repair and healing, using ultrasound to visually guide the injection.

What Conditions Does It Treat?

Chronic joint pain and instability; degenerative osteoarthritis in joints; sprains, strains, and other sports injuries; meniscal tears; rotator cuff tears; calcific tendinosis; frozen shoulder; chronic tendinitis; plantar fasciitis; dry-eye syndrome; men’s health; and hair loss.

How Does It Work?

Platelets form the first line of defense in response to tissue damage. They contain α-granules rich in growth factors and cytokines that promote tissue regeneration, healing and repair. Injecting a platelet-rich solution directly to the injured tissue promotes the healing process.

Frequently-Asked Questions

What is Platelet Rich Plasma?

Once red and white blood cells are removed from blood using a centrifuge, the yellowish liquid left behind is called plasma. When properly processed in our lab, this plasma contains proteins, fibrinogen, glucose, clotting factors, and concentrated platelets.

Why do we use Platelets for healing?

Precisely injecting a platelet-rich solution directly to the injured tissue promotes the healing process. PRP also helps in the reduced use of narcotics, improved sleep, and reduction in pain perception.

How do you make PRP?

PRP is made by drawing blood from a patient and spinning it in a centrifuge to separate the plasma and platelets from red and white blood cells.

Does PRP vary?

Yes, absolutely. Not every PRP is prepared in the same way and can vary dramatically from practitioner to practitioner. Though there are many forms of PRP, there are typically two ways to make it in a physician’s office. The first method is through a pre-manufactured kit that requires several steps. The second method, which requires more skill and knowledge, is in a dedicated office laboratory under a laminar flow, HEPA filtered hood, and sterile conditions.

At NW Regen, we use our in-office laboratory, as it allows us more flexibility to tailor the PRP solution for the individual needs of each patient.

What is the proper dosage of Platelets?

The short answer is there is inconsistent data to support a unified dosage for all types of procedures. The data does support a minimum therapeutic dosage of about 1.2 million platelets per microliter of blood. This should be the minimum standard baseline for regenerative treatments.

How do I know if I’m getting the baseline?

In general, only a small percentage of regenerative practices take extra steps to ensure consistency in care. Most do not have the necessary equipment, lab, knowledge or ability to tailor their PRP procedures. Because of this, most clinics are guessing at what they are injecting and cannot control the number of platelets being delivered, decide the number of platelets per volume of fluid or understand that this even matters. That means they cannot repeat treatment, change treatment or track data for clinical applications and trials with any exacting standards.

Does the baseline vary from person to person?

Absolutely. In human blood, normal average platelet counts range from 150,000 to 450,000 per microliter of blood. This obviously represents a large variation from person to person.

Why should I choose NW Regen for my PRP treatment?

We use an in-house lab to customize our PRP process, so we know exactly the number of platelets you have and can determine exactly the volume of whole blood needed to tailor any of the desired levels of platelets to achieve optimal healing. Not every condition requires the same procedure, and what works for you may not work for someone else.

Does PRP have any adverse reactions?

The only adverse reaction reported is transient pain and localized swelling after injections, with overall adverse reactions being very low. The other risk factor with any interventional procedure is infection, which we minimize by using sterile aseptic techniques.

Nguyen, C., & Rannou, F. (2017). The safety of intra-articular injections for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: a critical narrative review. Expert Opinion on Drug Safety, 16(8), 897–902.doi:10.1080/14740338.2017.1344211

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