PRP

Doc advised me to go for Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) method and try out the stem cell research technology for my ankle. Should I? Any opinions? They will inject it into my ankle.Doc also said it should cost ~RM900 to get 3 vials of the PRP from centre in kota damansara. But cautionsed that its normally use immediately post injury. Mine has been 6 weeks. And may not be effective.
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Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy involves taking about an ounce of the patient's blood and spinning it in a centrifuge for about 30 minutes to separate the platelets from the rest of the cells. The concentrated platelet mixture is then injected back into the injured area. The treatment usually isn't covered by insurance and can cost about $500.

It's most often used to treat overuse injuries or tears in tendons around the knee and other joints. Athletes are the target audience so far because they suffer most of these injuries, and for many of them, getting back to their sports as quickly and safely as possible is a priority.

The idea behind PRP is that platelets are the body's natural healing tool. Most people know that platelets are blood clotters - they help you stop bleeding when you've cut yourself. But platelets also contain growth hormones that help tissues heal and regenerate.

Usually when people are injured, platelets naturally activate in the wounded area and work their magic. But in some injuries, platelets may need a little boost - perhaps because there's decreased blood flow to the wounded area, or the injury is in a trouble spot that is hurt repeatedly. Sometimes, the older a body gets, the less efficient it is at delivering platelets to an injury.

The appeal of PRP therapy, doctors say, is that it's entirely natural. Even if the treatment doesn't work, the patient hasn't risked anything other than some pain from the injection (and a few hundred dollars).

"You're just taking your own healing factors and concentrating them. There isn't a downside to it," said Dr. Jerrald Goldman, a sports physician with Webster Orthopedics who has been using PRP in the East Bay for about a year. "The worst that can happen is it doesn't work."

Inconclusive results
Studies of PRP treatment have been inconclusive, with the most rigorous scientific research showing not much difference between blood-spinning treatments and traditional therapy. A double-blind study in the Netherlands that gave some patients PRP treatment and others a saline solution found no significant difference in the pain level from their injuries after two years.

But Mishra said he's seen enough positive results in his own studies that he's compelled to keep using the treatment and wants to see more research. He said doctors need to look at the specifics of PRP - how much is effective, over what time period, and for which types of injuries.

Dr. Brian Feeley, a sports orthopedist at UCSF, said he thinks the therapy could be a good solution for certain types of injuries, especially for people who have already tried other treatments without satisfactory results. So far, though, he said he hasn't seen a remarkable improvement from PRP therapy for most patients.

"We get pretty good results from what we do normally," Feeley said. "People who have failed everything else may be the ones who benefit from these treatments."
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I am back.....

Its been ages since I blogged. Well, I use to hav my own php blog.. but it kept getting hacked. So i gave up. Blogspot hav been here for ages, and I decided to use it once again. Yay! Oh, and incase u r wondering why suddenly I appear to be so freee???!?!... errr... I sprained my ankle 6 wks back.. I still cant walk.. gonna go see specialist tmrw n let him examine the extensiveness of my injury. :(