Platelet Rich Plasma or PRP Shots

[1818hst]

All, would appreciate your advice: as a result of an ankle injury (a torn tendon) now in its 6th month my foot surgeon want to give me a PRP injection in the tendon, fit me for a boot and then physio to get it to heal.  My Haematologist (who is an authority on APS, and who diagnosed me) does not want me to take the PRP shot.  Her concern is that there is no experience with the consequences of PRP shots (a reasonably new technology) on APS.  My ankle is swollen and uncomfortable.  I am limping.  Even though I wear a brace, it does not help the healing.  I am leaning toward the shot but am worried about my hematologist's concerns.  Any thoughts would be most welcome!

[1818hst]

Thanks very much for replying.  If I may ask, do you have APS?  Did the surgery for your ligaments impact it at all?

[1818hst]

PS: The tendon has not been repaired; this is an effort to do so.

[1818hst]

I'm based in London and am seeing a specialist at the London Orthopaedic Clinic. My left ankle tendon is torn (2cm) and to try and prevent surgery, the surgeon is recommending the PRP shot. The ankle has been swollen and uncomfortable for 6 months now; I damaged my right ankle three years ago (it took 2 years to recover) but didn't tear anything.

[1818hst]

Well, the specialist feels that given the tear in the tendon a boot and physio is unlikely to produce much of an outcome. He wants to prevent it from getting worse and because of my APS wants to avoid surgery. My haematologist is worried that the PRP will active coagulation and hence the risk of a clot even though I am on warfarin (9 mg daily).

[Ozchick]

I'm assuming it's the achilles tendon? If so, you have to imagine a wide piece of elastic where some of the bits have inside the material cover (ie the fibres that make up the tendon) have snapped and retracted so only part oft he elastic now works. I put up with mine for a year (before I knew I had APS) and had various treatments includin a cast for 6 weeks and U/S before biting the bullet and having it repaired. It was no walking for a couple of weeks and in a 'moon boot' for about 3 months with Pyhsio twice a week. I also had a large bony spur which was shaved off and then the tendon reattached with a kind of nylon cord. I was warned it would take about 6 months to properly reattach and I might still have some pain after but this was done about 7 years ago and it's great and no trouble walking now.

You can always swap to Clexane for the duration but get another opinion as to whether this treatment is a fix or putting off the inevitable.

[GinaD]

my new orthopedic surgeon gave me the first in what he planned to be an experimental series of steroid shots in my bum knee. but i went into anaphylactic shock from that supposedly inconsequential injection. now he doesnt want any more steroid shots, no prp injections, . . . nada. in fact, he assured me that even if/when the osteoarthritis advances to the point of total weight baring collapse, he can then fix it. at this point I told him of my plans to hike the W. Highland Way in the summer of 2016 – yes coming up next month – and that if my knee collapsed then, "the Scots doctors will have to fix it over there in Scotland."

Reassuring? No?