Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP/PRF)

Dr. Elbaz is a pioneer in the use of PRP for Orthopedics. He started using PRP in in 2003 and for the past 21 years he has treated thousands of injured patients with PRP. PRP is typically used as an alternative to surgery when the severity of the injury is mild to moderate or if patient prefers a more conservative option. In many instances PRP is used at the time of orthopedic surgeries to enhance healing.

In 2015 Dr. Elbaz started using the PRF product in addition to PRP. PRF stands for platelet rich fibrin which is very similar to PRP except for the fact that anticoagulant medication is not used to produce PRF. A injectable thin fibrin matrix is injected along with the platelets white blood cells and growth factors. This rich matrix provides a scaffold on which the cells can be stabilized in the location in which they are injected and to help tissues regenerate. Depending on your specific condition Dr. Albaz may use either PRP or PRF. 

Platelet rich plasma treatments use the patient's own blood to promote healing and regeneration of various injured structures of the musculoskeletal system. This involves obtaining blood and concentrating plasma using a centrifuge to produce a liquid containing blood platelets, white blood cells, circulating stem cells, and a large amount of protein molecules that work as growth factors. 

This procedure is typically done in the office and takes anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes. Depending on the severity and location of the injury or disease patients may need more than one treatment. Your doctor will discuss this with you at the time of the examination.

Conditions that we can treat with PRP/PRF include:

Tendonitis (Chronic tendonitis or partial-thickness tears)
Rotator cuff
Biceps
Golfers/Tennis elbow
Tendonitis around the thigh (Gluteus medius, hamstring, piriformis syndrome)
Patellar or quadriceps tendonitis
Tendonitis around the ankle (Peroneal, Tibialis posterior)
Achilles
Plantar fasciitis
Ligament Injury
Ulnar collateral ligament injury of the elbow
Medial collateral ligament injury of the knee
Degenerative Joint Disease
Hip osteoarthritis
Knee osteoarthritis
Ankle osteoarthritis
Shoulder osteoarthritis
Elbow osteoarthritis
Wrist osteoarthritis
Symptomatic articular cartilage injury
Fracture Care
Delayed union or nonunion fractures

Process of PRP/PRF treatment:

1. Make sure to avoid anti-inflammatory medication: blood thinners: herbal medicine, fish oils, for seven days prior to the treatment.

2. On the day of the procedure make sure you drink plenty of fluids. 

3. You will arrive at the office and your blood will be drawn.We will then place your blood into the centrifuge for 5 to 10 minutes

4. During that time we will anesthetize the location to be treated with a skin spray and then local anesthetic injection given with a very fine needle to avoid pain

5. The PRP/PRF will then be injected into the injured area using ultrasound guidance. It is essential to use ultrasound guidance for most injections as it allows us to deliver the PRP/PRF at the exact location of the injury. 

6. Patient will then be able to return home. It's important to make sure that someone is available to drive the patient back home after the procedure.

7. Avoid applying ice to the treated area. Avoid taking any anti-inflammatory medication such as aspirin, Advil, ibuprofen, Naprosyn, Celebrex, or meloxicam.

8. You may receive an order for physical therapy

9. Typically the first follow up will be at six weeks following the procedure.

10. If there are any issues during the treatment patient should contact us by phone. 

Cost:

PRP is typically not covered by insurance. Patients interested in having PRP therapy are responsible for the full payment for the procedure.Since we are trying to make this procedure available to everyone, we have considerably lowered our pricing to allow patients of all budgets to afford this treatment option. Pricing will depending on the location injected as well as the number of injections. Our current pricing for PRP injections depends on the number of injections and the locations. The price includes typical follow up care after the procedure.