predator
Very Active Member
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- 2,567
Hi all-
I had my first Platelet Rich Plasma injection today. For those not familiar, this is a non-conventional therapy for the treatment of tendon injuries that has shown great promise in the reduction of healing time and the type of healing done (scar tissue versus actual tissue). This part of the injection is to get the growth factors in the blood directly to the tendon, which has no blood vessels.
I had 90cc of blood withdrawn to concentrate down to 6cc. This was painless. Then the doc used an OMG large bore suction needle to withdraw some fat from my left hip. The lidocaine stung like hell, the fat removal was painless. This part of the injection is to provide both a matrix and stem cells to direct the construction of tissue.
Under ultrasound guidance, the doc then injected the combined blood/fat directly into the rupture on my tendon. Again, the lidocaine stung like a MF, but the injection itself was more like an uncomfortable pressure. It was done in less than 15 mins. I got to watch the fat fill in the holes where the tears are! Kinda creepy.
The lidocaine lasted about 6 hours, my pain level is tolerable with Tylenol right now, but is increasing. I have minimal swelling on the tendon with bruising showing (but that could just be the blood injection, too, I think). The hip is swollen and is the more painful of the two sites.
I'll keep you all posted on recovery; doc says to not expect too much out of the first injection, it is apparently after the second that the healing really starts to take off. The goal is to avoid surgery all together.
If you want more information, just google PRP injections-there is a ton of info out there.
Regards,
Pred
I had my first Platelet Rich Plasma injection today. For those not familiar, this is a non-conventional therapy for the treatment of tendon injuries that has shown great promise in the reduction of healing time and the type of healing done (scar tissue versus actual tissue). This part of the injection is to get the growth factors in the blood directly to the tendon, which has no blood vessels.
I had 90cc of blood withdrawn to concentrate down to 6cc. This was painless. Then the doc used an OMG large bore suction needle to withdraw some fat from my left hip. The lidocaine stung like hell, the fat removal was painless. This part of the injection is to provide both a matrix and stem cells to direct the construction of tissue.
Under ultrasound guidance, the doc then injected the combined blood/fat directly into the rupture on my tendon. Again, the lidocaine stung like a MF, but the injection itself was more like an uncomfortable pressure. It was done in less than 15 mins. I got to watch the fat fill in the holes where the tears are! Kinda creepy.
The lidocaine lasted about 6 hours, my pain level is tolerable with Tylenol right now, but is increasing. I have minimal swelling on the tendon with bruising showing (but that could just be the blood injection, too, I think). The hip is swollen and is the more painful of the two sites.
I'll keep you all posted on recovery; doc says to not expect too much out of the first injection, it is apparently after the second that the healing really starts to take off. The goal is to avoid surgery all together.
If you want more information, just google PRP injections-there is a ton of info out there.
Regards,
Pred
