title: Leukocyte-poor platelet-rich plasma to treat degenerative meniscal tear: A case report.
abstract: A traumatic and/or degenerative meniscus lesion is thought to be a clinical manifestation of early-onset osteoarthritis (OA), which is a chronic progressive condition that can cause substantial pain and disability. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is an emerging treatment option that has been reported to improve healing. Here, we present a case of a 29-year-old woman, with left anterior and medial knee pain, without history of trauma or injury. The patient was managed with leukocyte-poor PRP injections derived from her peripheral blood with high concentrations of platelets, platelet-derived growth factors, and bioactive proteins, with a total follow-up of 30 months. Post-treatment patient was evaluated at every follow-up for improvement using three independent measures, VAS, GROC, and KOOS. There was considerable improvement in the pain symptoms from baseline (VAS: 70 mm; GROC: n/a; and KOOS: 39) to 30 months (VAS: 40 mm; GROC: 5; and KOOS: 63.1) indicating that PRP injections can serve as therapeutic intervention for treatment of pain associated with early onset of OA. To further validate these results, more longitudinal and evidence-based studies are recommended, which may further guide the clinicians to manage early-onset OA with PRP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR, USA.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Betancourt
authors.affiliation: Dr. Humeira Badsha Medical Center, Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Orthopaedics, Rehabilitation, and Podiatry Department, Ft. Belvoir Community Hospital, Ft. Belvoir, VA, USA.
authors.forename: W D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Murrell
keywords: Knee; Leukocyte-poor; Meniscus; Osteoarthritis; Platelet-rich plasma