Effect of PRP Injection After Arthroscopic Meniscal Repair in the Healing Process
Condition: Knee Pain; Knee Injuries
MeSH terms: Knee Injuries
Study type: Interventional
Phase: Phase 4

Summary: 
      The investigator's hypothesis was that intra-articular knee injection with PRP in patients
      underwent arthroscopic meniscal repair and didn't receive intra-surgical PRP, may add
      beneficial effect on post-meniscal repair outcomes regarding pain, functional state of the
      operated knee as well as healing process.
    

Detailed description: 
      The study was done on 30 patients underwent arthroscopic isolated meniscal repairs performed
      by a single surgeon but unfortunately didn't receive PRP injection during the repair
      procedure.

      Random, double blinded selection of 15 patients to constitute the PRP-group was injected
      intra-articularly with about 5 ml of PRP in the operated knee joint. The other fifteen
      patients were not injected and constituted control group. PRP preparation:

      Thirty ml of venous blood was taken from every patient and collected in sodium citrated
      sterile tubes. Platelet concentrates obtained by adjusting centrifuge at 1800 rpm for 15 min
      to separate erythrocytes, then at 3500 rpm for 10 min to concentrate the platelets. The
      preparation was done by a single laboratory technician. Thus 5 ml of PRP were obtained, 0.2
      mL of 10% calcium chloride was added to the final product to activate the platelets and
      injected immediately without storage. Procedure Pre-injection guidelines were given to all
      patients (in PRP group) in the form of stopping steroidal and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory
      drugs for at least one week before the procedure, as well as stopping any anticoagulant drugs
      5 days before the procedure, increasing intake of fluids within the 24 hours prior to the
      procedure and anti-anxiety medication were required for anxious patients. Injection, under
      complete aseptic techniques, was performed while the patient was in supine position, and the
      knee was fully extended, using the lateral approach. Patients were instructed after injection
      to avoid using the injected leg for 24 hours, to use ice packs over the injected joint and
      not to use NSAIDs for another one week.
    

Intervention name(s): platelet rich plasma
Intervention type(s): Biological
Intervention description(s): Thirty ml of venous blood was taken from every patient and collected in sodium citrated sterile tubes. Platelet concentrates obtained by adjusting centrifuge at 1800 rpm for 15 min to separate erythrocytes, then at 3500 rpm for 10 min to concentrate the platelets. The preparation was done by a single laboratory technician. Thus 5 ml of PRP were obtained, 0.2 mL of 10% calcium chloride was added to the final product to activate the platelets and injected immediately without storage.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Intervention model description: The study was done on 30 patients underwent arthroscopic isolated meniscal repairs performed by a single surgeon but unfortunately didn't receive PRP injection during the repair procedure. Pre-injection guidelines were given to all patients (in PRP group) in the form of stopping steroidal and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for at least one week before the procedure, as well as stopping any anticoagulant drugs 5 days before the procedure, increasing intake of fluids within the 24 hours prior to the procedure and anti-anxiety medication were required for anxious patients. Injection, under complete aseptic techniques, was performed while the patient was in supine position, and the knee was fully extended, using the lateral approach. Patients were instructed after injection to avoid using the injected leg for 24 hours, to use ice packs over the injected joint and not to use NSAIDs for another one week.
Masking: Single (Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Supportive Care
Keywords: PRP; regeneration; ultrasound