Use of Platelet-Rich Plasma for the Improvement of Pain and Function in Rotator Cuff Tears: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis With Bias Assessment. #ASES #AAOS #Health

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31743037?dopt=Abstract

I am routinely asked about platelet rich plasma (PRP) treatment for rotator cuff tears. PRP is obtained from a patient’s blood and is then injected into injured tissue like rotator cuffs. Many physicians perform this procedure (I do not), but the effectiveness has not been well established at the time of this blog. The above article looked into the effectiveness for rotator cuff tears. Their conclusion that “significant improvements in PRP-treated patients were noted for multiple functional outcomes, but none reached their respective minimal clinically important differences” shows that the PRP has yet to show any functional improvements for rotator cuff tears. I encourage patients to have frank discussions with their physicians about the potential risks and benefits of this procedure before proceeding.