Conditions: Subacromial Impingement Syndrome Partial Thickness Rotator Cuff Tear
Keywords: subacromial impingement partial thickness rotator cuff PRP platelet rich plasma
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 12
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
The purpose of this investigator initiated study is to clinically evaluate the efficacy of a new treatment for subacromial impingement syndrome and partial thickness rotator cuff tears. This treatment consists of a platelet rich plasma injection into and around the rotator cuff. It is thought that this treatment will dramatically improve outcomes for patients suffering from these two conditions.

Subjects will be randomized by choosing a slip of paper from an envelope. This process will randomize 25 patients to the experimental group, and 25 patients to the control. The experimental group will undergo a blood draw, allowing for an injection of platelet rich plasma around the rotator cuff. The control group will undergo a corticosteroid injection into the subacromial space surrounding the rotator cuff as sole treatment. Patients will be followed for three months for pain, and will fill out questionnaires at six weeks and three months post injection, which will give insight into functionality and pain changes that the rotator cuff is experiencing due to treatment.

Subjects will be outpatients. Subjects may include employees, students, minorities, and elderly, although no subsets of these will be formed.

Subjects will be between 18 and 89 years of age.

In total, subject participation will last approximately 3 months.

Detailed description:

Arms:
arm 1: corticosteroid injection into subacromial space arm 2: patients will receive an injection of platelet rich plasma into the subacromial space

Interventions: intervention 1: platelet rich plasma injection intervention 2: corticosteroid injection
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: 45 ml of a patient's own blood will be collected via blood draw, maintaining sterile technique. This will then be spun down using a Magellan Autologous Platelet Separator System, yielding platelet rich plasma (PRP). Under sterile conditions, patients will receive a 5 cc PRP injection (consisting of their own PRP) with 1 cc of 1% lidocaine and 1 cc of 0.5% ropivacaine into the subacromial space, administered by an orthopedic surgeon. This will be done using a posterior lateral approach. The patient will be monitored for 10 minutes in clinic for adverse reactions. intervention 2: Under sterile conditions, patients will receive a 5cc injection consisting of 2cc 1% lidocaine, 2cc 0.5% ropivacaine, and 1cc kenalog corticosteroid (40mg/cc) into the subacromial space utilizing a posterior lateral approach. Patients will be observed for 10 min in clinic for any adverse reactions.

Protocol document: