Dr. Charles Mok explains how platelet-rich plasma and platelet-rich fibrin use growth factors to regrow cartilage and reduce joint pain. Three injections followed by yearly maintenance can delay surgery in people with arthritis, with evidence showing durable symptom improvement.
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Let's talk a little bit more about what PRP and PRF does. This actually does regenerate the tissues. There's been studies showing there is some halting of degeneration, so that's good. And there's some regrowth of cartilage and joint space. Now, the regrowth cartilage of joint space has not been super well established until recent years where we see cartilage does actually start growing again in the presence of the growth factors associated with the platelets. We put the platelets in, they're actually helping with pain and discomfort, but also helping to heal the injuries. Whatever caused the degeneration in the first place, your genetics, the way you're walking, your gait mechanics, that's still going on. So there is some ongoing maintenance with this that would be a common practice as we do series of three and then one a year just for kind of prevention in people with, with arthritis and get moderate improvement of symptoms, clinically significant improvement of symptoms, and get good duration out of it and then put off an unnecessary surgery.
