The usage of Platelet-Rich-Plasma for Chronic non-healing wounds

Platelets- Rich Plasma has been used as a medical intervention for treating severe wounds or wounds that seem to take longer times to heal. Platelets Rich Plasma is a mixture of platelets and plasma that is obtained from the whole blood then the white and red blood cells are removed. This concentrate comes in four categories which vary from; leukocyte reduced, leukocyte rich, pure platelets fibrin, and leukocyte platelet-rich fibrin. The ongoing application of platelet-rich plasma in treating wounds is a result of the research-based efficacy of particular growth factors in the concentrate (Maisel-Campbel et al., 2019). The platelet-rich plasma is made by removing blood from the patient, undertaking two stages of centrifugation to remove the red blood cells. Transforming growth factor-beta and platelet-derived growth factors are some of the growth factors common in the platelets plasma that makes it used in the treatment of wounds. Epidermal growth factors and connective tissue growth factors are also commonly found growth factors in platelet-rich plasma that make it effective in tissue injury repair.

Bodies often sustain various forms of injuries that break the skin or even body tissues such as muscle tissues and tendons in any part of the body. Such injuries may affect various parts of the body and depend on the composition of the tissue injured may take varying times to heal. Some parts of the body tend to take relatively long periods to heal while other parts heal in comparatively shorter parts. The time that a wound takes to heal is determined by various factors such as the severity of the wound where less severe wounds may take a shorter time to heal as a result of the less tissue damage involved. Servers’ wounds on the other hand may take a long time to heal since in such wounds the skin or tissues damaged or to be repaired are big (Scott et Al., 2019). Also, other factors such as the immunity levels in a patient may be a significant factor in determining the healing of wounds in the patients. Research-based findings indicate that patients with higher immunity levels take relatively shorter times to held compared to the patients with weaker immunity. Just like in other diseases and infections, the medical interventions are taken to treat wounds also significantly determines the success and speed of healing where there are more effective means of creating wounds that appear more impactful than other means.

Patients in developing countries often experience chronic non-healing wounds which is a result of the inability to access the necessary growth factors. In such cases of chronic non-healing wounds, wound debridement, regular dressings and other traditional therapies for wounds seem to be ineffective since they do not provide the required growth factors. Various research trials conducted on the efficacy of platelet-rich plasma in treating chronic non-healing wounds prove that this mechanism is adequately effective though with chances of more developments in the area (Everts et al., 2019). The main challenge in chronic healing wounds is the lack of the growth factors that are needed for the repair of injured tissues in such wounds. Science-based research findings indicate that platelet-rich plasma is effective in healing wounds and injuries both in soft and hard tissues. This method of therapy is also effective not only in chronic none healing wounds but also in the healing of acute non-healing wounds. This healing effect of autologous platelet-rich plasma is enabled by the chemokines, fibrin, cytokines, and other growth factors present in the concentrate that is always derived from the blood of the patient.

Abnormalities of the growth factors are the main common causes of non-healing wounds which makes it difficult for the injured tissues to recover normally. Surgical debridement, regular wound dressing, and skin grafting are the most common conventional methods of treating wounds all of which are ineffective in treating chronic non-healing wounds. Such conventional means turn out to be ineffective when used as therapy for chronic non-healing wounds since they don’t provide any solution to the need for growth factors which is the main need for such cases. Platelets and wound Macrophages are vital in the process of wound healing as platelets are rich in the necessary growth factors. The high leukocytes levels in platelet-rich plasma are also significant in the healing process of wounds as such components act as anti-inflammatory factors. Platelet-rich plasma contains platelet-derived angiogenesis factor which helps in capillary formation from the existing microvasculature in the wounds. Application of Platelet-rich plasma is also effective in treating chronic non-healing wounds since it acts as a barrier preventing bacterial infection of the wound which may prolong the healing process.

Diabetes is one of the common causes of non-healing wounds in patients as diabetic patients often experience such tissue damages. This effect of diabetes is called diabetic peripheral telepathy which is a form of nerve damage that often affects the feet of the patient. Diabetic Peripheral neuropathy is preferred as distal symmetric peripheral neuropathy which causes wounds in the feet of the patient and later the hands. This common form of neuropathy starts as a single pain and numbness in the feet or the arms then developed into serious wounds that become difficult to heal. Various healthcare systems have used varying methods in providing treatment for diabetic peripheral neuropathy with varying degrees of success or failure in most cases. The most common therapeutic method for this neuropathy is controlling blood sugar which is commonly used in the early stages of infection. Wound debridement, regular wound dressing, and skin grafting are also commonly used methods in creating neuropathy in advanced stages when the condition has resulted in wounds in the legs or hands. Other forms of treatment such as debridement, skin grafting, or regular wound dressing often fail to heal wounds resulting as a result of diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Platelet-rich plasma is therefore useful in treating such wounds since it provides the necessary growth factors for tissue repair and healing of the wound.

Mononeuropathy or focal neuropathy is also a form of neuropathy that is often experienced by patients with diabetes and as such can be treated using various ways. This form of neuropathy is dangerous since it reduces the healing speed for wounds but instead prolongs the healing of even small injuries. Diabetic patients with this kind of neuropathy find themselves developing serious wounds from even tiny cuts or injuries to the skin or tissues. In such patients, even a small cut that would take a week to heal in other patients that are not diabetic enlarge and worsen instead of healing and as such take a longer period to heal. Platelet-rich plasma can therefore be used to effectively speed up the healing of wounds resulting from focal neuropathy which is common in diabetic patients. The lack of growth hormones in such wounds resulting from neuropathy may worsen and lead to amputation of such affected body parts such as toes, legs, or even the hands. The platelet-rich plasma thus provides the necessary growth hormones that help in the repair of tissues and hence healing of the wounds instead of worsening of the injuries.

PRP at Cedar Medical Center

Though not as widely practiced as other traditional therapy methods for chronic non-healing wounds platelet-rich plasma is used in various institutions. Cedar Medical center is one of the healthcare facilities that have incorporated the use of platelet-rich plasma in treating chronic non-healing wounds. The medical facility has established adequate facilities and machinery for the extraction and the double centrifugation of the blood to make the platelet-rich plasma. The healthcare professionals in the facility then administer the concentrate to patients in the right quantities through injection where patients are treated using this formula to show speedy recovery (Emer 2019). This ensures that the facility can effectively use this treatment method and that no cases of shortage of platelet-rich plasma hinder healthcare provision. The facility has experienced significant success in the treatment of chronic non-healing wounds since the introduction of the use of platelet-rich plasma. The facility uses the method to treat cases arising from sports-related injuries such as small rotator calf tear, tennis elbow, and feet. However, the cost of treatment using this method seems to be more expensive since medical insurance does not cover the cost of preparing and administering platelet-rich plasma, and the patients are required to pay for the services. This method of therapy is also effective not only in chronic none healing wounds but also in the healing of acute non-healing wounds. This healing effect of autologous platelet-rich plasma is enabled by the chemokines, fibrin, cytokines, and other growth factors present in the concentrate that is always derived from the blood of the patient.

PRP at California Pacific Orthopedics

California Pacific Orthopedics is a healthcare provider made up of medical specialists that handle conditions relating to the bones and bone tissues. The organization has incorporated the use of platelet-rich proteins in the treatment of chronic non-healing wounds and other injuries that may require the introduction of growth factors for faster recovery. The organization largely uses platelet-rich plasma for the treatment of tendon muscle injuries with a success rate of between 70 and 80 % (Kon et al., 2020). The treatment takes roughly four to six weeks where special precautions are taken when treating patients with bleeding disorders, low blood count, or those with a history of allergy to anesthetic agents. The treatment also required special precautionary measured to be taken for pregnant or breastfeeding women as well as for patients in blood thinning and anti-inflammatory medications. The organization reveals that the process takes roughly ten minutes and involves drawing up to 10 milliliters of blood from the patient for the preparation of the platelet-rich plasma. A local anesthesia is then applied around the injured part and the platelet rich plasma injected into the affected area for induction of growth factors. This method of therapy is also effective not only in chronic none healing wounds but also in the healing of acute non-healing wounds. This healing effect of autologous platelet-rich plasma is enabled by the chemokines, fibrin, cytokines, and other growth factors present in the concentrate that is always derived from the blood of the patient.

References

Scott, A., LaPrade, R. F., Harmon, K. G., Filardo, G., Kon, E., Della Villa, S., … & Engebretsen, L. (2019). Platelet-rich plasma for patellar tendinopathy: a randomized controlled trial of leukocyte-rich PRP or leukocyte-poor PRP versus saline. The American journal of sports medicine, 47(7), 1654-1661.

Emer, J. (2019). Platelet-rich plasma (PRP): current applications in dermatology. Skin therapy letter, 24(5), 1-6.

Maisel-Campbell, A. L., Ismail, A., Reynolds, K. A., Poon, E., Serrano, L., Grushchak, S., … & Alam, M. (2020). A systematic review of the safety and effectiveness of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) for skin aging. Archives of dermatological research, 312(5), 301-315.

Everts, P. A., Malanga, G. A., Paul, R. V., Rothenberg, J. B., Stephens, N., & Mautner, K. R. (2019). Regenerative Therapy.

Kon, E., Di Matteo, B., Delgado, D., Cole, B. J., Dorotei, A., Dragoo, J. L., … & Sánchez, M. (2020). Platelet-rich plasma for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: an expert opinion and proposal for a novel classification and coding system. Expert Opinion on Biological Therapy, 20(12), 1447-1460.