Percutaneous injections of Platelet rich plasma for treatment of intrasubstance XXXX .

@entity1 @entity8 @entity75 @entity397 @entity158
INTRODUCTION: management of intrasubstance @entity75 is still controversial. Intrasubstance @entity75 can lead to reduced sports activity and @entity397 . Physical therapy is often not satisfactory. Therefore new treatment methods are requested. Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) has the ability to regenerate tissue; this was proved in several experimental studies. Whether percutaneous injections of PRP are effective in intrasubstance @entity75 is unknown. We hypothesize that percutaneous PRP injections lead to @entity158 relief and halt of progression on MRI over 6 months in @entity1 with grade 2 @entity75 . MATERIALS AND METHODS: ten recreational athletes with intrasubstance @entity75 (grade II according to Reicher) proven by MR-Imaging (MRI) were treated by percutaneous injections of PRP in the affected meniscal area. Three sequential injections in seven day intervals were performed in every @entity1 . All injections were performed with image converter. Follow-up MRI was done six months after last injection in every @entity1 . Level of sports activity and amount of @entity158 at athletic loads according to numeric rating scale (NRS-11) were noted in each @entity1 before injections and at the time of follow up MRI after six months. The t-test was used to determine statistical differences. RESULTS: four of ten @entity1 (40%) showed @entity8 in follow up MRI after six months. Nine of ten @entity1 (90%) complained about short episodes of @entity158 after the injections with average NRS-Score of 7.9 at daily loads after the last injection. Six of ten @entity1 (60%) showed Improvement of NRS-Score at final follow up. Average NRS-Score improved significantly (p=0.027) from 6.9 before injections to 4.5 six month after treatment. Six of ten @entity1 (60%) reported increase of sports activity compared to the situation before injections. In four @entity1 (40%) additional surgical treatment was necessary because of persistent knee @entity158 or progression of @entity75 . CONCLUSIONS: percutaneous injections of PRP have the ability to achieve @entity158 relief and halt of progression on MRI over 6 months in @entity1 with grade 2 @entity75 . Therefore it could be considered as a treatment option in @entity1 with persisting @entity158 . LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.
