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. 2014 Dec 2;11(1):21.
doi: 10.1186/s12979-014-0021-9. eCollection 2014.

The role of platelet gel in osteoarticular injuries of young and old patients

Claudia Rizzo  1 , Roberta Vetro  2 , Angelo Vetro  2 , Roberto Mantia  2 , Angelo Iovane  3 , Marco Di Gesù  2 , Sonya Vasto  4 , Laura Di Noto  1 , Giuseppina Mazzola  5 , Calogero Caruso  1
Affiliations

The role of platelet gel in osteoarticular injuries of young and old patients

Claudia Rizzo et al. Immun Ageing. .

Abstract

Background: The use of autologous platelet gel in orthopedics is effective in accelerating the healing process of osteochondral, muscle, tendon and ligament lesions. The aim of our study was to verify whether the variability in response to infiltration with platelet gel was dependent on the underlying disease treated, sex and age of the patients. During four years, 140 patients have been treated for musculoskeletal injuries by infiltration of gel platelet and lysate platelet obtained from autologous thrombin, with echo-ultrasound guided. The response to treatment was assessed at different time points T0, T1, T2 with respect to pain estimation (VAS), joint mobility (ROM scale) and echo-ultrasound evaluation. This data collection has allowed classifying the response to treated lesions in three categories: NR (no response), PR (partial response), CR (complete response).

Results: The data here reported showed that the ability to physical recovery response is evident in tendon injuries, while the large joints injuries gave a poor response. Almost all patients showed a significant pain relief after the first infiltration, but in terms of echo-ultrasound evaluation and tissue repair, only the muscle and tendon injuries showed hyperechoic areas, signs or evidences of repair. Concerning the correlation between response to infiltration with platelet gel and gender/age of the patients, the clinical results appear not influenced by the age and the gender of the patient.

Discussion: Our data indicate that, pain relief and ability to physical recovery of muscles, tendons and ligaments depend on tissue repair clearly visible by echo ultrasound evaluation. On the other hand tissue repair seems not occur in the large joints (hip and knee) where arthritis and /or corrosion of articular cartilage cannot be repaired and the only relief is exclusively linked to the reduction of periarticular inflammation (reduction of the inflammatory leakage and signs).

Keywords: Ageing; Inflammation; Osteoarthritis; Osteoarticular injuries; Regenerative medicine.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Percentage of treated lesions in the sample.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Distribution of osteoarticular diseases respect to gender.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Osteoarticular lesions, mean age and gender.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Trend of the VAS score (mean) in treated diseases.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Functional response (percentage) accordig to functionality score: Score 1 (stable condition than at the beginning of treatment), Score 2 (increase joint range of motion but not full “restitutio ad integrum”), Score 3 (Complete functional recovery).
Figure 6
Figure 6
Functionality (score) related to age of the sample.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Functional response (percentage) according to functionality score and degree of injury.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Average interval (days) among the first, second and third infiltration.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Response to treatment in osteoarticular diseases treated (percentage). NR: no response, PR: partial response, CR, complete response.
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