Juan Azofra

By Mikel Sánchez, Diego Delgado, Ane Garate, Pello Sánchez, Jaime Oraa, Ane Miren Bilbao, Jorge Guadilla, Beatriz Aizpurua, Nicolás Fiz, Juan Azofra and Sabino Padilla

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) products can be described as any autologous blood platelet concentrate within a plasma suspension. PRP products include plasma and twofold or greater increases in platelet concentrations above baseline levels. The injection of activated PRP in its liquid formulation delivers growth factors locally and simultaneously mimics and amplifies the spontaneous healing response in injured areas and in special cell niches, which would otherwise be inaccessible. This in situ generated transient three-dimensional scaffold will gradually release growth factors and maintain their concentration at the site of the scaffold formation. The combination of liquid PRP with surgical techniques in orthopaedic surgery allows a wide range of therapeutic strategies in the management of injuries in the field of orthopaedics and sports medicine. The use of different therapeutic elements, including PRP as biological stimuli and rehabilitation and physiotherapy treatments as mechanical stimuli, provides extremely favourable synergies that will help fulfil the physician’s objective, to stop the progression of disease and to improve function in the shortest period of time

Part of the book: Plasma Medicine

By Mikel Sánchez, Ane Garate, Ane Miren Bilbao, Jaime Oraa, Fernando Yangüela, Pello Sánchez, Jorge Guadilla, Beatriz Aizpurua, Juan Azofra, Nicolás Fiz and Diego Delgado

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a biological therapy that uses the patient’s own blood to obtain products with a higher platelet concentration than in blood. It provides a transient fibrin scaffold as a controlled drug delivery system of growth factors suitable for regenerative medicine. PRP has been used as medical strategy to treat diverse types of injuries in the field of orthopedics, including peripheral nerve lesions. In vitro and in vivo studies showed the neuroprotective, neurogenic and neuroinflammatory modulator effect of PRP. In addition, it has been demonstrated clinically that PRP infiltrations improve clinical symptoms and enhance the sensory and motor functional nerve muscle unit recovery. Potential effects of PRP could be applied in treatments for neuropathies, as conservative treatment by means of nerve ultrasound-guided infiltrations or as biological adjuvant during surgery.

Part of the book: Demystifying Polyneuropathy

By Mikel Sánchez, Maider Beitia, Orlando Pompei, Cristina Jorquera, Pello Sánchez, Jorge Knörr, Francisco Soldado, Leonor López, Jaime Oraa, Ane Miren Bilbao, Nicolás Fiz, Jorge Guadilla, Beatriz Aizpurua, Juan Azofra and Diego Delgado

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) is a biologic therapy that uses the patient’s own blood to obtain products with a higher platelet concentration than in blood. This technology provides a controlled drug delivery system of growth factors suitable for regenerative medicine. The biological effects of PRP mimic and influence biological processes such as inflammation, analgesia, and cell stimulation, providing this therapy with promising therapeutic potential. All these processes participate in maintenance, correct function, and homeostasis of the joint, where all tissues are involved. Alterations in one joint element have impact on the rest, outstanding the cellular and molecular interaction between the cartilage and subchondral bone. Therefore, the joint is an optimal therapeutic target for PRP therapy, which favors biological environment for joint repair. This chapter collects the basic concepts of joint function and the biological processes that participate in its degeneration, the definition and obtention of PRP, as well as its therapeutic potential and clinical translation.

Part of the book: Regenerative Medicine