Abstract
Clinical and laboratory research aimed at biological approaches to cartilage repair
are currently in high demand due to the poor regenerative capacity of articular cartilage
in the setting of a diseased articular environment. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) takes
advantage of supraphysiological concentrations of platelets and their growth factors
harbored in α-granules, which together attempt to return the diseased articular cartilage
to a preinjury state. The local use of PRP directly at the site of cartilage injury
is thought to stimulate a natural healing cascade and accelerate the formation of
cartilage repair tissue. This article provides an overview of the basic science behind
the use of PRP in the treatment of cartilage injury and disease. Both initial and
current examples of the use of intra-articular PRP in clinical human studies are provided.
These include the use of PRP either alone or as an augmentation device with various
other procedures, including arthroscopic microfracture and cell-free resorbable polyglycolic
acid-hyaluronan implantation. Finally, the authors describe some of the potential
future roles of PRP in clinical settings based on recent literature. These include
Achilles tendon rupture, chronic tendinosis, chronic rotator cuff tendinopathy or
tearing, muscle injury, and meniscal repair.
Keywords
articular cartilage - osteoarthritis - platelet-rich plasma - PRP
