Both platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and autologous-conditioned plasma (ACP), are beneficial for rejuvenating injured tissue. At the USC Epstein Family Center for Sports Medicine, Los Angeles, California, Frank Petrigliano, MD, uses PRP or ACP to treat many types of injuries — from tendon and ligament tears, to severe arthritis damage. Because PRP and ACP use your body’s own cells, these treatments actually help your body heal itself, so you don’t have to be in pain another day.
Autologous-conditioned plasma (ACP) treatments are a type of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) regenerative medicine treatments. While the blood drawing process is a little different, the end result is the same.
When you have an injury, your body sends lots of healing proteins called “growth factors” to the injured area. These specialized proteins help form new tissues, so your injury heals. PRP and ACP are plasmas that have a higher concentration of platelets — which contain all those growth factors.
Some types of soft tissues, including tendons and ligaments, don’t get a rich blood supply and have lower surrounding concentrations of growth factors. This is why injuries to these areas can take so long to heal. But when the PRP is injected directly into your injured area, the growth factors go to work and start rebuilding and repairing.
PRP (and even ACP) come from your own body. Dr. Petrigliano draws a small amount of blood into tubes. Those tubes go into a centrifuge that rapidly spins your blood, separating growth factor-rich platelets. This increases the concentration of growth factors. The platelets and all of the attached growth factors get mixed back with your remaining blood. Dr. Petrigliano then re-injects that blood back into your body, directly into the area that is injured.
PRP or ACP each work to heal just about any type of soft tissue damage. These treatments are beneficial for treating:
PRP can’t rebuild and repair tissues overnight. Over the days and weeks following your treatment, you gradually notice improvement as tendons, ligaments, and other soft tissues rebuild. Your pain level continues to diminish as tissues rebuild, within several weeks of your injection.
Yes. Dr. Petrigliano schedules a follow-up appointment a few weeks after your initial injection. He evaluates you to see how you’re healing. If needed, he can repeat the process after a certain healing period, to further help your injury heal.
Here is a list of our accepted insurance providers. When in doubt, call your insurance company and see if we are contracted using our Tax ID number (#954505291). If you have any other questions regarding insurance, please contact the office. Thank you!
