Dr Steven Sampson's Platelet Rich Plasma Blog has moved to orthohealing.com !

My blog has moved to be a permanent part of my website at orthohealing.com

New features of orthohealing.com include:

Case studies with images & testimonials
http://www.orthohealing.com/orthopedicsportsmedicinecasestudies/
PRP (platelet rich plasma) injection demonstration
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsT6SB1q2vA
Video interview of commonly asked questions about PRP

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7u15mbo6bQ

More content & videos to come! This blog has become a powerful tool to connect patients & doctors around the world to learn more about this exciting field of medicine.

New Platelet Rich plasma study on tendon injury: Jumpers knee patellar tendonisis

A study was done from Italy demonstrating clinical improvement in 16/20 male athletes who received a series of 3 prp injctions at 15 day intervals. They were followed up at 6 months. Interestingly 3 out of the 4 patients who failed to improve did not comply with the stretching & strengthening protocol following the injections.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19402740?ordinalpos=3&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
Patellar tendinosis is a challenging condition because of poor blood supply, oxygen, & a lack of nutrition. Over half of athletes are forced to retire, & many continue to have pain after their retirement.

This speaks to the importance of post injection rehabilitation. I learned this firsthand after I tore my own Medial collateral Ligament in my knee after a surfing lesson.


I received a PRP injection and the rehab clearly accelerated the recovery process.
http://prpinjection.blogspot.com/2007/10/prp-knee-injection-8-wks-post-injection.html

New PRP platelet rich plasma review article published addressing applications in elite athletes

A PRP article was recently published from Spain reviewing current applications of PRP in orthopaedics. Most interestingly was the discussion surrounding use in professional sports. There is generalized confusion requiring rigorous definition associated with well characterized products and procedures. Currently US olympic athletes are able to receive the treatment under the WADA worl anti-doping agency; however must first apply for approval. There are no specific guidlines in other US professional sports organizations. PRP does not enhance performance & only treats a local injury & therefore should not be considered prohibited.

I expect more & more professional athletes to receive not only PRP but stem cell based therapies to accelerate recovery, both as injections & while undergoing surgery.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19402740?ordinalpos=3&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

New research comparing platelet rich plasma to steroid injection for tennis elbow

Data was released from Krakow Poland at the International Meeting on the use of Autologous Growth Factors in Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine: "State of the Art" - Krakow, Poland - 24 April 2009. The study found that patients receiving cortisone showed a 40% improvement compared to PRP 75% at 12 months. This is the first head to head study. Cortisone is well known to carry a risk of weakening & rupturing a tendon & is often discouraged.

http://www.shoulderdoc.co.uk/article.asp?article=1323

We are conducting a multicenter FDA approved trial on tennis elbow beginning Mid June 2009.
www.orthohealing.com

Korean Basketball Player Choo Seung-Gyun, receives PRP Platelet Rich Plasma injection treatment and wins MVP after Hamstring Injury

Shortly following the visit to the Orthohealing Center in Los Angeles by Dr Jae Ryu MD PhD ; Choo Seung-Gyunof was treated in Korea with Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) for a Hamstring injury. Following successful treatment Choo lead the Egis throug a game 7 series in the (KBL) Korean Basketball League Championship in Jeonju.

The 34 y/o Choo set a record as the oldest player to achieve the award as well as his team's 4th Title. More & more professional athletes are receioving PRP Platelet Rich Plasma therapy. Studies are underway measuring the clinical benefits on tendon, ligament & cartilage (arthritis) for both elite & recreational athlete. This is a great example of international collaboration!

We encourage these visits & Dr Sampson will be travelling to Europe later this year to meet with pioneering physcians & researchers in biologics & stem cell therapy.

The Korean Times Article:
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/news/090501_2p0_egis1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/sports/2009/05/136_44225.html&usg=__PloLG4de4BFyMSvXWGWSsTeYGcg=&h=273&w=450&sz=90&hl=en&start=10&tbnid=lNWwIvxcTOiVQM:&tbnh=77&tbnw=127&prev=/images%3Fq%3DChoo%2BSeung-Gyun%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26sa%3DG

Dr Steven Sampson teaching Sonosite Shoulder Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Workshop in Seattle, WA June 27, 2009

Along with Orthopaedist Ben DuBois MD, Dr Steven Sampson will be hosting a training seminar "Introduction to Shoulder Ultrasound." The course will be in Seattle WA on June 27, 2009 from 8:30am-5:30pm. Dr Sampson also will be acting as a Preceptor to train physicians who are beginning their ultrasound training.

http://sonositelearning.com/clinical_applications/musculoskeletal/introduction_to_shoulder_ultra.php#reg_form
A PDF brochure is available on this link.

Also, Dr Sampson will discuss his research & clinical experience with PRP, Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy.

Additionally Physicians from around the world visit Dr Sampson's Office: The Orthohealing Center in Los Angeles for training of platelet Rich Plasma procedures with ultrasound guidance.
For more info on PRP training: www.orthohealing.com

Dr Steven Sampson Lecturing in Malibu at Yoga Day: new treatments for sports injuries including platelet rich plasma therapy (PRP)

Yoga Day in Malibu-Sunday May 31st, 9:00 am-4:00 pm


Join us for a complete day of yoga and health at a fabulous, mountaintop estate at the top of Corral Canyon in Malibu. Start the day with an inspiring "Prime of Life Yoga" class taught by renowned Yoga teacher Larry Payne PhD in a beautiful environment followed by two outstanding lectures on health and longevity. Our speakers will be Dr. Steve Sampson,D.O. “New treatments for Sports Injuries” and inspirational speaker Joni Consroe “Living a Life of Joy”.

To register please call us at 310-306-8845 or email to info@samata.com.

Xavier Nady Yankee Outfielder reportedly making progress with PRP Injection (Platelet Rich Plasma) for Ulnar Collateral Ligament Injury

Reportedly, Xavier Nady is progressing following PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy) for his torn Ulnar collateral ligament. He is trying to avoid season ending Tommmy John surgery.

According to the official New York Yankee's website:

"There's progress here," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "You have to wait and see how he feels once the right arm gets involved. The time has passed where we feel that he's safe to do it, and that's a good thing."



http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090509&content_id=4643378&vkey=news_nyy&fext=.jsp&c_id=nyy

PRP Platelet Rich Plasma use in Singapore

Following increased PRP use in Europe & the United States, physicians in Singapore are beginning to use PRP( Platelet Rich Plasma) to treat various musculoskeletal & sports injuries. The are establishing themselves as pioneers in biologics. Below is a recent press release which highlights the global use of platelet rich plasma therapy.

SingaporeMedicine is a multi-agency government-industry partnership committed to strengthening Singapore's position as Asia's leading medical hub and international health care destination. Hopefully they will record data & publish their results to further promote the efficacy of PRP.

http://www.prcompass.com/Medical_Pharmaceuticals/Singapore_First_in_Southeast_Asia_to_Use_Novel_Treatment_for_Sports_and_Musculoskeletal_Injuries/

New York Yankee Outfielder Xavier Nady Receives PRP Platelet Rich Plasma Blood Injection for Ulnar Collateral Ligament Injury

Public awareness of PRP or Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy has been increasing this year following the news of Pittsburgh Steelers Hines Ward receiving an injection which allowed him to play in the super bowl with an MCL knee sprain.

It appears that Xavier Nady, outfielder for the New York Yankees received a PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma Injection) in efforts of avoiding surgery for an ulnar collateral ligament partial tear. Generally this injury requires Tommy John surgery in appx 75% of cases. However if PRP is injected in the early stages of injury there is a good chance of avoiding surgery. Takashi Saito while he was with the LA Dodgers successfully recovered without needing surgery for a reportedly similar injury.

http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2009/05/03/new-procedure-could-hasten-nadys-return/

http://content.usatoday.com/topics/article/People/Athletes/MLB/Xavier+Nady/0awTbmA4gua0Z/1

http://mlbhub.com/cutting-edge-procedure-may-get-nady-back-by-june/

I have seen remarkable results in both elite professional athletes as well as weekend warriors. For those looking to learn more about this procedure and the exciting realm of stem cells and biologics, view my web site & blog. There is access to my published PDF review article on my web site. We are conducting several studies and will publish new data this year.

www.orthohealing.com

Dr Steven Sampson

Musculoskeletal Ultrasound seeing increased use in Orthopaedics

Yale New Haven Hospital is among the growing community of progressive physicians integrating ultrasound into their orthopaedic practice.

I believe musculoskleletal ultrasound will become a standard tool to help physicians in orthopaedics & sports medicine, much like it is in Europe. With advancements in technology, ultrasound provides unbelievable images of tendons, ligaments, and fluid inside the body. These images are very useful for diagnostic purposesand also guide the physician with injection procedures to ensure accuracy within millimeters of the target. Anecdotally I have found that patients getting cortisone injections have less discomfort with ultrasound guidance because painful structures like bone & tendon are avoided. Also patients enjoy the interaction that ultrasound provides with the physician. Patients can for example move their shoulder around to a particular position to reproduce pain that may not be seen with a static exam like x-ray or MRI. Also ultrasound is cost effective.

A series of studies examined the use, training, outcomes and accuracy of surgeon-held musculoskeletal ultrasound at Yale School of Medicine and Duke Medical School. Researchers found that orthopaedic surgeons can reduce overall time to patient diagnosis, enhance subjective and objective clinical outcomes, and significantly lower some out-of-pocket expense for patients. Results of the studies were presented at the 2008 American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) and American Institute of Ultrasound Medicine (AIUM) annual meetings.

http://www.ynhh.org/press/2009/orthoultrasound.html

Kentucky Derby rasising awareness of platelet rich plasma and stem cell treatments in horses

With the timing of the Kentucky Derby today, there has been recent press about PRP therapy & stem cell usage in athletic horses.

A company called VetCell's from the UK just announced a Stem Cell Technique to Undergo Human Trials. They have treated over 1500 horses successfully & are now applying this stem cell technology to humans. I expect many studies in the next few years which will enlighten us exactly how we can maximize natural healing utilizing stem cells.

http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=13991&src=RA

Another study from Cornell University was just published on PRP use with horses showing effectiveness of healing tendon injuries. Tendon injuries are an important cause of catastrophic injury in athletic horses, and even minor injuries are often slow to heal and prone to future injury. Researchers performed ultrasound examinations of the tendons at 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks and mechanical, biochemical, and microscopic evaluation of the tendons 8 weeks after treatment.
Ultrasound while commonly used to look at babies, is seeing increased use in orthopedics and sports medicine to diagnose tendon injuries and to guide needle injections to ensure precise accuracy.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19350658?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

Platelet Rich Plasma Injection Therapy Use in Korea

Recently I had the pleasure of meeting Jae Wook Ryu MD PhD from Seoul Korea. Dr Ryu is the team doctor of professional baseball team (Woori Heros). Dr Ryu visited our clinic in Los Angeles all the way from S. Korea to exchange experiences & protocols. We encourage these international meetings and have had physicians visit from other countries as well.

Dr Ryu incorporates additional protocols prior to PRP therapy including acupuncture and nutritional supplementation & IV therapy to stimulate collagen (tissue) growth. Dr Ryu has treated professional athletes including a Korean professional baseball pitcher with great results. PRP holds great promise & hopefully by exchanging ideas with other pioneering docs across the globe we can make great advancements in medicine.

www.salm.co.kr

Breakthrough treatment boosts stem cells to heal bone fractures

Recent research on a drug FDA approved in 2002 for Osteoporosis, Forteo: suggests that it may enhance release of adult stem cells to heal bone fractures.Of the six million fractures in the United States each year, approximately five percent will have slow or incomplete healing. Options are few for some patients who suffer with prolonged healing. Perhaps until now...

This is another example of how we are learning more & more that the key element to healing revolves around circulation of stem cells. We are entering the dawn of a "cellular phase" of medicine. Research is being done to treat challenging diseases like arthritis & diabetes. This drug helps turn stem cells into bone cells to cut fracture healing time down & reducing pain. This prompted a large government funded study.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-04/uorm-sdw040809.php

The story was covered on ABC nightly news:
World News - ABC News

Botox use getting more attention for healing rather than cosmetic use

Recently Botox has been getting more press about it's applications for conditions other than vanity. Botox temporarily weakens muscle and blocks "substance p" which in turn blocks pain. Unlike many other meds, botox has very little side effect & lasts for months. As a result there is increased use across the board in medicine including migraines, neck and low back pain, and buttock pain (piriformis syndrome). Research is being conducted on prostate enlargement (BPH) and overactive bladder. Also patients with tight limbs from strokes or brain injuries receive this treatment to improve function.

The NY Times recently published an article on botox seeing increased use for medical conditions.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/12/business/12botox.html?hpw

Also I published a chapter on botox use for sciatica (buttock pain known as piriformis syndrome).
http://prpinjection.blogspot.com/search?q=piriformis

PRP Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy Blood Injection Featured on ABC's Good Morning America

PRP is getting a lot of attention in the media lately...here is a link from Good Morning America. This treatment speaks to the concept that the body has a remarkable ability to heal itself. Through innovative technology, we are revolutionizing how we address treatment of tendon and cartilage injuries.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/PainNews/Story?id=6895441&page=1

President Barack Obama will soon lift the federal funding ban on embryonic stem cell research

After I attended the 4th annual stem cell summit in NYC today, analysts predicted that President Obama will reverse the ban on embryonic stem cell research in the coming days ahead.

It's important for the public to understand however that stem cells can be obtained and harvested from a variety of means. The term "stem cells" evokes controversy, mystique and caution. But what most aren't aware of is the availability of adult stem cells. Yes, we all have our own stem cells that have the capacity to replenish & regenerate tissue and disease.

Stem cells may be obtained from the following means:
-Umbilical cord
-Bone Marrow
-whole blood (after receiving injectibles that stimulate release from marrow to the periphery which is then drawn from the arm like neupogen & Mozobil)
Embryonic (the most controversial)
Menstrual blood (yes menstrual blood) it may be the most fresh compared to cord blood that is 9 months old.
Placenta?
Adipose (yes fat cells so one day a patient could receive liposuction & treatment for disease!)
Supplements?

Interestingly at the stem cell conference 38 of the leading companies from around the world presented their latest work. Of those only 6 represented embryonic stem cells compared to 32 with adult stem cells..

The presentations were overwhelmingly informative. I will summarize the info soon. Also I will be lecturing a grand rounds at Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, CA in March to educate physicians about future trends in medicine.

According to CNBC today, the stem cell market will see a dramatic rise from $1.7 billion last year to between $22 billion and $49 billion over the next 10 years. wow.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/29238629



Dr Steven Sampson