Plasma Rich in Growth Factors (PRGF) in the Treatment of Patients With Chronic Cervical and Lumbar Pain: A Prospective Observational Clinical Study.

Background: Chronic back pain is a long-lasting disorder, whose main source of pain is often the intervertebral disc that undergoes a degenerative process associated with low-grade inflammation, leading to a reduced quality of life.

Objectives: The aim of our study was to assess the efficacy of intradiscal and epidural injections of plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) in patients with chronic clinical symptoms due to intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration.

Study Design: Prospective observational study.

An evolutionary history of F12 gene: Emergence, loss, and vulnerability with the environment as a driver.

In the context of macroevolutionary transitions, environmental changes prompted vertebrates already bearing genetic variations to undergo gradual adaptations resulting in profound anatomical, physiological, and behavioral adaptations. The emergence of new genes led to the genetic variation essential in metazoan evolution, just as was gene loss, both sources of genetic variation resulting in adaptive phenotypic diversity. In this context, F12-coding protein with defense and hemostatic roles emerged some 425 Mya, and it might have contributed in aquatic vertebrates to the transition from water-to-land.

Surgical Treatment of Saphenous Nerve Injury Assisted by Plasma Rich in Growth Factors (PRGF): Lessons from a Case Report.

The infrapatellar branch of the saphenous nerve (SN) is a widely described anatomic and functional structure; however, its relevance in daily clinical practice is underestimated. All surgical procedures performed on the anteromedial aspect of the knee are associated with a risk of iatrogenic injury to this nerve, including knee arthroscopy, knee arthroplasty, tibial nailing, etc. We present the case of a saphenous nerve neuroma after treatment with radiofrequency thermal ablation due to a knee pain problem.

The Dual-Responsive Interaction of Particulated Hyaline Cartilage and Plasma Rich in Growth Factors (PRGF) in the Repair of Cartilage Defects: An In Vitro Study.

The treatment of chondral and osteochondral defects is challenging. These types of lesions are painful and progress to osteoarthritis over time. Tissue engineering offers tools to address this unmet medical need.

Office-Based Intraosseous Infiltrations of PRGF as an Effective Treatment for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Retrospective Observational Clinical Study.

The aim of this study was to explore and assess office-based ultrasound-guided intraosseous and intra-articular infiltrations of plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) in patients with moderate and severe knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Seventy-nine patients (30 women and 49 men) with grade 3-4 KOA according to the Kellgren-Lawrence classification participated in the study. All patients were treated with a minimally invasive technique using local anesthesia WALANT (wide-awake local anesthesia no tourniquet) in the ambulatory setting.

Plasma rich in growth factors versus corticosteroid injections for management of chronic rotator cuff tendinopathy: a prospective double-blind randomized controlled trial with 1 year of follow-up.

Background: Rotator cuff tendinopathy (RCT) is a painful and dysfunctional shoulder condition traditionally considered as a degenerative pathology. However, evidence is pointing to immunocompetent cells and activated stromal fibroblasts as the drivers of a nonresolved inflammatory condition in RCT. As potent anti-inflammatory agents, corticosteroid injections have been among the first-line and the most common therapeutic strategies.

The Effectiveness of Plasma Rich in Growth Factors (PRGF) in the Treatment of Nerve Compression Syndromes of the Upper Extremity: A Retrospective Observational Clinical Study.

Background: Nerve compression syndromes of the upper extremity are a common cause of neuropathic pain and functional impairment. Recently, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) infiltrations have emerged as an effective biological approach to the treatment of this type of injury. The objectives of this retrospective observational study were to assess clinical improvement in patients with median and ulnar nerve entrapment syndrome after undergoing biologically-assisted nerve release surgery with plasma-rich-in-growth-factors (PRGF) technology.

Evolutionary Insight into Immunothrombosis as a Healing Mechanism.

Both invertebrates and vertebrates possess a cluster of immediate and local wound-sealing, pathogen-killing, and tissue healing responses known as immunoclotting and immunothrombosis, respectively, to cope with two life-threatening emergencies, namely, bleeding and microbial invasion. Despite their convergence in function, immunoclotting and immunothrombosis are deployed by different blood cells and intravascular multidomain proteins. In vertebrates, these proteins share some domains with intrinsic chemical affinities useful in generating cooperative networks such as pathogen and damage pattern recognition molecules.

Office-Based Intraosseous Infiltrations of PRGF in Knee Osteoarthritis: Description of Technique.

Knee osteoarthritis is a low-degree inflammatory condition that involves the whole synovial joint tissues as an organ. Recently, a biological approach using plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) to tackle not only the synovial joint with intraarticular injections of PRGF, but also the subchondral bone with intraosseous infiltrations has been implemented with promising results. However, this procedure requires sedation, which limits the implementation of the procedure to operating room.

Healing through the lens of immunothrombosis: Biology-inspired, evolution-tailored, and human-engineered biomimetic therapies.

Evolution, from invertebrates to mammals, has yielded and shaped immunoclotting as a defense and repair response against trauma and infection. This mosaic of immediate and local wound-sealing and pathogen-killing mechanisms results in survival, restoration of homeostasis, and tissue repair. In mammals, immunoclotting has been complemented with the neuroendocrine system, platelets, and contact system among other embellishments, adding layers of complexity through interconnecting blood-born proteolytic cascades, blood cells, and the neuroendocrine system.

Plasma Rich in Growth Factors (PRGF) in the Treatment of Cervical and Lumbar Back Pain: A Retrospective Observational Clinical Study.

Background: Plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) is a leukocyte-free platelet-rich plasma (PRP) that is an effective biological approach to tissue repair and has been demonstrated to significantly improve multiple conditions, including low back pain and degenerative disc pathology.

Objectives: The objective of this retrospective study was to analyze the effectiveness of treating both cervical and lumbar spine pain with minimally invasive infiltrations of PRGF-Endoret.

Study Design: Retrospective study design.

Platelet-Rich Plasma Applications for Achilles Tendon Repair: A Bridge between Biology and Surgery.

Achilles tendon ruptures are very common tendon ruptures and their incidence is increasing in modern society, resulting in work incapacity and months off sport, which generate a need for accelerated and successful therapeutic repair strategy. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is emerging as adjuvant human blood-derived constructs to assist Achilles tendon rupture treatment. However, myriad PRP preparation methods in conjunction with poor standardization in the modalities of their applications impinge on the consistent effectiveness of clinical and structural outcomes regarding their therapeutic efficacy.

Vertebral intraosseous plasma rich in growth factor (PRGF-Endoret) infiltrations as a novel strategy for the treatment of degenerative lesions of endplate in lumbar pathology: description of technique and case presentation.

Background: Motivation and necessity to adopt minimally invasive therapies in the field of spinal regenerative medicine is increasing. Autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy has recently been used as an effective technological and biological approach to tissue repair and has shown to improve multiple conditions including back pain and degenerative disc pathology. In addition, it is well established that the anatomic elements of the spinal system affected by degenerative pathology include the intervertebral disc (IVD) and vertebral subchondral bone (VSB), which play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy spinal column.

Platelet-rich plasma combined with allograft to treat osteochondritis dissecans of the knee: a case report.

Background: Osteochondritis dissecans of the knee is a prevalent pathology in young, active people that is brought about by either traumatic, developmental, or iatrogenic etiologies.

Case Presentation: A 40-year-old Caucasian man reporting pain, swelling, and functional reduction was evaluated and diagnosed with internal condyle osteochondritis dissecans of the knee. Harnessing the trophic, chondroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties of platelet-rich plasma, we carried out a knee open-sky surgical technique in which we combined autologous therapy with osteochondral allograft to treat the focal, large, and deep traumatic-iatrogenic osteochondritis dissecans of the knee.

Autologous fibrin scaffolds: When platelet- and plasma-derived biomolecules meet fibrin.

The healing of vascularized mammalian tissue injuries initiate with hemostasis and clotting as part of biological defense system leading to the formation of a fibrin clot in which activated platelets are trapped to quickly stop bleeding and destroy microbials. In order to harness the therapeutic potential of biomolecules secreted by platelets and stemmed from plasma, blood deconstruction has allowed to yield autologous platelet-and plasma-derived protein fibrin scaffold. The autologous growth factors and microparticles stemmed from platelets and plasma, interact with fibrin, extracellular matrix, and tissue cells in a combinatorial, synergistic, and multidirectional way on mechanisms governing tissue repair.

Treating Severe Knee Osteoarthritis with Combination of Intra-Osseous and Intra-Articular Infiltrations of Platelet-Rich Plasma: An Observational Study.

Objective: Assessing the therapeutic effects of a combination of intra-articular and intra-osseous infiltrations of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to treat severe knee osteoarthritis (KOA) using intra-articular injections of PRP as the control group.

Design: In this observational study, 60 patients suffering from severe KOA were treated with intra-articular infiltrations of PRP (IA group) or with a combination of intra-osseous and intra-articular infiltrations of PRP (IO group). Both groups were matched for sex, age, body mass index, and radiographic severity (III and IV degree according to Ahlbäck scale).

Intraneural Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections for the Treatment of Radial Nerve Section: A Case Report.

Unlabelled: The radial nerve is the most frequently injured nerve in the upper extremity. Numerous options in treatment have been described for radial nerve injury, such as neurolysis, nerve grafts, or tendon transfers. Currently, new treatment options are arising, such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP), an autologous product with proved therapeutic effect for various musculoskeletal disorders.

Biologic therapies to enhance intervertebral disc repair.

Degenerative disc disease is a progressive, chronic disorder with strong association to pain, where the dysregulated tissue environment signals disc cells, thereby leading to a low inflammatory process and slow extracellular matrix degradation and fibrosis in a perpetual vicious cycle, generating a structural and functional failure of intervertebral disc joint (IVDJ). Among current biologic therapies, there is an emerging minimally invasive strategy that consists of infiltrating plasma rich in growth factors, a safe and efficacious therapeutic approach for other musculoskeletal degenerative conditions. This review summarizes the homeostasis and degeneration of IVDJ, discusses some results on basic science and therapeutic use of platelet-rich plasma products and advances an alternative minimally invasive biologic therapy in IVDJ degeneration and chronic back pain.

Intraosseous Infiltration of Platelet-Rich Plasma for Severe Hip Osteoarthritis.

This work describes a technique of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) infiltration for the treatment of severe hip osteoarthritis (OA). Although the results achieved with intra-articular infiltrations of PRP are promising, they may be insufficient in the long-term for severe hip OA. The technique consists of a combined intra-articular and intraosseous infiltration of PRP to reach all joint tissues, especially the subchondral bone, and hence facilitate a greater distribution of PRP.

Two cycles of plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF-Endoret) intra-articular injections improve stiffness and activities of daily living but not pain compared to one cycle on patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis.

Purpose: To assess the clinical efficacy and safety of a treatment based on one cycle versus two cycles of intra-articular injections of plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF-Endoret) on patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA).

Methods: Ninety patients with knee OA were included and evaluated. A total of 48 patients received one cycle (OC group) (3 injections on a weekly basis), while 42 patients received two cycles of PRGF-Endoret (TC group) spaced 6 months between them.