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Platelet Concentrates

What is Autologous Platelet Concentrate (APC) or Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP)?

APC is a concentrated form of platelets and plasma. Platelets contain large reservoirs of natural growth factors. While a normal concentration of platelets circulating in your blood is 2,00,000 per micro liter, the platelet count in PRP can exceed 2 million platelets per micro liter.

What is Autologous Platelet Concentrate or Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy?

APC or PRP therapy is an exciting, natural, non-surgical treatment that involves the injection of healing factors from your own blood directly into the site of injury. These factors then trigger the body’s natural instincts to repair itself and can often dramatically accelerate healing time. Technological advances have enabled PRP treatment to move into outpatient surgical centers.

How does APC or PRP work?

Certain injuries, can be resistant to healing due to a lack of blood flow to the area, repetitive stress or wearing away of tissue. By injecting blood platelets into the injured area, the healing proteins go directly to the site to repair the damage.

Platelets contain potent growth factors necessary to begin tissue repair and regeneration at the wound site. Growth factors derived from platelets initiate connective tissue healing, bone regeneration and repair, promote development of new blood vessels, and stimulate the wound healing process.

Growth and wound healing factors are natural components of your body. Clinical data has shown that growth and wound healing factors may enhance and accelerate your body’s normal healing process.

How is APC or PRP prepared?

The surgeon draws approximately 20-50 cc of your blood at the time of surgery. The blood is placed in a specialized centrifuge that spins and automatically separates the red blood cells from the plasma. The plasma is then further centrifuged to concentrate the autologous platelets and hence your natural growth factors. The extracted platelet-rich plasma is then collected in a sterile syringe so it can be injected into the injured area which is locally anesthetized. You are then free to go home.

This innovative, yet relatively simple procedure usually takes less than less than 15 minutes and adds no extra time to the surgical procedure.

Who prepares the APC / PRP?

The APC is made point-of-care at the time of surgery and under physician's control. The recent introduction of small automated, office based APC systems makes the benefits of APC practical in the office and outpatient setting. Now, your surgeon or nurse can prepare APC in parallel with the surgical procedure.

Is APC / PRP therapy a onetime affair?

Two to three weeks after the first PRP treatment, the doctor will evaluate your progress and determine whether more therapy is needed. Many patients experience complete healing with just one treatment, although it is not uncommon to require more than two to three treatments to achieve complete relief from pain. Depending on the severity and duration of the injury or disorder, you may require between one and three treatments.

Is APC or PRP treatment safe?

PRP is very safe. PRP uses your own blood to stimulate the body’s natural healing process without the side effects associated with traditional cortisone injections. Since it is made from your own blood, there is virtually no risk of allergy or rejection and is insulated against the risk of disease transmission.

Does APC or PRP therapy hurt?

The area will be numbed with a local anesthetic. After the area is numb and ready for treatment, there should be little or no pain. When the anesthetic wears off, there may be minor soreness at the injection site. Speak with your doctor regarding I.V. sedation for those cases where it may be deemed necessary.

What to expect after APC / PRP therapy?

The injury site may feel achy and sore for several days after injection, which is a sign that the healing response has been activated. There may be some limitations on normal activities for the first few days to a week depending on the area of the injection. Avoid heavy lifting and/or very strenuous exercise for approximately one to two weeks.

How Can APC Be Used for My Surgery?

The use of APC varies from procedure to procedure. APC is generally applied topically to the wound site. It can be used to control bleeding in applications such as cardiovascular and orthopedics. APC is often applied to bone grafts and soft tissue grafts to stabilize the graft material. APC is used to help fixate bone grafts as well as accelerate bone growth in orthopedic and dental procedures. APC is also used to seal wounds and accelerate soft tissue healing in facial plastic and cosmetic surgeries.

Why is APC (Enriched with Growth Factors) Preferred Over Other Products or Methods?

APC is the only available product that contains elevated levels of all your naturally occurring growth factors. These growth factors are maintained in precisely the same ratios found circulating in your body. Although recombinant products are available, these products are usually synthetic derivatives of a single growth factor.

How long has APC been used?

APC has been used clinically for over a decade. Leading clinicians in specialties such as Dental, ENT, Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Orthopedics, Cardiovascular, Plastic Surgery, and Wound Healing routinely use APC to deliver a cocktail of natural, bioactive growth factors.