An Overview on PRP Knee Injections
Every year, countless patients living in the Santa Barbara, Goleta, Santa Maria and Ventura, California area contact Dr. Jervis Yau’s orthopedic office to discuss knee pain. Dr. Yau specializes in both non-surgical and surgical knee treatments, including autologous blood injections. More commonly known as platelet rich plasma (PRP) therapy, this innovative treatment option has the ability to help with acute and chronic tendon, muscle and ligament injuries, as well as treatment of knee osteoarthritis. PRP knee injections utilize the body’s natural healing cells to help return patients to an active lifestyle without surgery.
Overview of the Knee
The knee is a sophisticated system of bones, articular cartilage, ligaments, tendons and muscles working together as one unit to provide movement and stability during sports and everyday tasks. Because the knee is placed under constant stress, it is prone to injury and degeneration.
What are Autologous Blood Injections for the Knee?
Four main structures compose human blood – red blood cells, plasma, platelets and white blood cells. With years of medical research and clinical testing, it has been proven that platelets have the ability to help the body heal by releasing growth factors that recruit healing cells. These growth factors are capable of stimulating cellular growth in the injured tissue to promote healing.
Autologous blood injections for the knee are becoming more popular and widely used in orthopedics to treat numerous joint injuries and conditions, including:
- Knee osteoarthritis
- Ligament injuries
- Tendon injuries
- Muscle injuries
- Meniscus injuries
How are PRP Knee Injections Performed?
PRP knee injections typically take less than 15 minutes and are performed during an in-office visit with Dr. Yau. The treatment process begins by extracting approximately 15 milliliters of a patient’s own blood (autologous). The sample is then centrifuged at high speeds in a special machine to separate the blood’s four main structures. The platelet rich plasma is then removed from the other structures and injected directly into the injured area. Once in the body, these platelets and growth factors will recruit and increase the body’s reparative cells to the area of injury.
Contact the Santa Barbara, Goleta, Santa Maria and Ventura, California area practice of Dr. Jervis Yau to learn more about autologous blood injections for the knee, or to determine if you are an ideal candidate for PRP knee injections.
