Does Post-Operative Intra-Articular Platelet Rich Plasma Injection Improve Meniscal Repair Outcomes

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.