title: The role of platelet gel in osteoarticular injuries of young and old patients.
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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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).
authors.affiliation: Unit of Transfusion Medicine, University Hospital "Paolo Giaccone", Palermo, Italy ; Department of Pathobiology and Medical and Forensic Biotechnologies, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rizzo
authors.affiliation: Mantia Medical Center, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vetro
authors.affiliation: Mantia Medical Center, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vetro
authors.affiliation: Mantia Medical Center, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mantia
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Sciences, Society and Sport, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iovane
authors.affiliation: Mantia Medical Center, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Gesù
authors.affiliation: Department of Science and Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy ; National Center for Research, Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Sonya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vasto
authors.affiliation: Unit of Transfusion Medicine, University Hospital "Paolo Giaccone", Palermo, Italy ; Department of Pathobiology and Medical and Forensic Biotechnologies, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Di Noto
authors.affiliation: Unit of Transfusion Medicine, University Hospital "Paolo Giaccone", Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mazzola
authors.affiliation: Unit of Transfusion Medicine, University Hospital "Paolo Giaccone", Palermo, Italy ; Department of Pathobiology and Medical and Forensic Biotechnologies, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Calogero
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Caruso
keywords: Ageing; Inflammation; Osteoarthritis; Osteoarticular injuries; Regenerative medicine