MUSCULOSCELETAL DISORDERS
Autologous cell therapies can help to control inflammation and support the healing process in tendons, ligaments, muscles and bones after acute accidents or surgery.
Tendons, ligaments and muscles injuries
PLATELETS = MEDIATORS OF HEALING RESPONSE
The platelets (thrombocytes) mediate healing processes in the body and become active in case of injuries. In the production of so-called platelet-rich plasma (PRP), they are specifically isolated from a patient’s blood sample and can then be specifically injected into a defect in the tendons, ligaments and muscles. Thus, the platelets and especially the growth factors they release can support and accelerate the body’s regeneration process.
RIGHT COMPOSITION OF PRP
The composition of the PRP should be adapted depending on the type of injury and in particular whether it is acute or chronic and has been going on for some time. For chronic inflammations it can make sense to use a PRP rich in leucocytes, for acute (sports) injuries rather a PRP low in leucocytes. To ensure that all the required proteins and cells reach the site of the defect, it makes sense to vary the amount of PRP used depending on the size of the defect. Especially in smaller joints or tendon/ligament defects where only a small volume can be injected, a concentrated PRP should be used so that nothing has to be discarded and all the healing factors from the blood are brought to the injured site.
Bone injuries
Fractures of the long bones as well as post-traumatic complications such as non-healing or delayed healing fractures are regular challenges in clinical practice.[1, 2] Bone healing is a unique repair process in which the processes of endochondral and intramembral bone formation follow a very specific time sequence. If these are disrupted, incomplete bone healing can occur.[3]
A common adjunct in the treatment of bone fractures is the use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP), particularly to prevent complications in bone healing. The platelets (thrombocytes) concentrated in PRP contain a variety of different growth factors that support healing processes and new tissue formation. In addition, PRP contains the proteins fibroconectin, fibrin as well as vitronectin for cellular adhesion [4] and stimulates osteoblastic differentiation.[5]. It has been shown that the use of PRP could increase the healing rate without affecting the inflammatory process and without leading to calcification.[6,7]
POST – OP
ACS can help speed up healing and reduce inflammation after surgery. Pro-inflammatory cytokines play an important role in the inflammatory response to surgery or injury. Essentially, the cytokines interleukin-1 (IL-1), tumor necrosis factor-A (TNF-a) and IL-6 are released at the local site after surgical interventions.[1] The inflammatory reactions caused by this additionally attack the cartilage tissue in the joint, which is often already damaged anyway. That is why anti-inflammatory treatments can make sense.
Cooling, elevation and the use of painkillers such as ibuprofen are already effective against the inflammatory reaction. In addition, a few days after the surgical intervention, treatment with inflammation-relieving endogenous proteins can provide a positive counter stimulus and quickly bring the joint out of the acute inflammatory phase. Autologous conditioned serum (ACS) can be an option here to use the body’s own protective proteins against the surgery-related inflammatory reaction.
