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

New York Times Article published on PRP blood injection Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy: Athletes’ Own Blood Could Nurse Them to Health

Following the mention of Hines Ward receiving a PRP injection to allow him to perform in the super bowl, there has been an increased interest in understanding this treatment. Recently I was interviewed by New York Times reporter Alan Schwarz and extensively contributed to the article which will be published in tomorrow morning's New York Times in section A1.


http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/17/sports/17blood.html?_r=1

The article raises awareness that PRP is a cost effective and safe means of accelerating healing naturally without surgery. However I feel that PRP treatment represents only the beginning in a promising field known as "orthobiologics." I will be at the 4th annual Stem Cell Summit In New York City Feburary 17, 2008. The leading biologic and stem cell companies, physicians, and scientists will converge to share our latest work. I will post an update on the presentations and will soon give a grand rounds on stem cell & biologic progress.

I'm thrilled that (PRP) Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy is beginning to capture the public and medical community's attention. I hope to continue to train & educate physicians to expand the application of this innovative treatment in tendon and cartilage injuries. I hope to publish data from a PRP study on knee osteoarthritis this year.

Dr Steven Sampson
www.orthohealing.com

Dr Steven Sampson selected as a principal investigator for FDA Approved multi-center platelet rich plasma tennis elbow study

Dr Steven Sampson was selected as a principal investigator for an FDA approved study for Recover® Kit for Chronic Elbow Tendinosis using platelet rich plasma (PRP). This study includes up to 10 centers across the country and will hopefully pave the way for FDA approval and widespread use. Stay tuned for further info regarding this and other studies Dr Sampson is involved with in 2009.
www.orthohealing.com


http://www.biomet.com/patients/clinical_recruitment_recover.cfm

Platelet Rich Plasma (Blood Injection) reportedly used on Hines Ward's Knee in Superbowl

Just prior to the kickoff of superbowl XLIII, on field reporters from NBC credited Hines Ward's rapid recovery with a knee sprain to Platelet Rich Plasma therapy. According to NBC, Hines Ward had his blood drawn and later had the concentrated platelets injected back into his knee to accelerate healing.

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) has been used in numerous professional collegiate, & recreational athletes to accelerate recovery from injury. I have seen firsthand that PRP enables athletes to shorten their recovery time without ill effects. While athletes have the luxury of round the clock trainers, this therapy is useful in the weekend warrior as well.

Further studies are underway regarding PRP usage in osteoarthritis. For further information follow www.orthohealing.com

Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy seeing widespread use

The public, commerical, and medical community are becoming increasingly aware of the potential promise of platelet rich plasma, growth factors, and stem cell therapy. While I use PRP for tendon and cartilage disorders, physicians in South Africa have been using PRP for facial rejuvination and wrinkles by potentially stimulating collagen synthesis.

http://www.internationalshoulderjournal.org/article.asp?issn=0973-6042;year=2007;volume=1;issue=2;spage=64;epage=73;aulast=du
Also research is being conducted to treat alopecia (hair loss) by stimulating follicular growth. Adult Stem cells the precusor for these proteins may hold the most promise.

It is my opinion that there is much more to be learned regarding PRP. However ultimately we may find that isolating individual growth factors with specific responsibilities may be more effective. Researchers are already working on isolating individual growth factors for specific tasks like cartilage regeneration etc.

Dry Needling effective for Plantar Fasciitis

With musculoskeletal ultrasound to examine the heel (much like looking obstetrician's use to examine a fetus), physicians are able to accurately target heel pain.

With the advancement of technology we are able to further our understanding of disease as well as offer innovative treatments.

At the December 08 annual Radiological Society of North America, Luca M. Sconfienza, MD, from University of Genoa in Italy demonstrated 95% efficacy with dry needling followed by cortisone.

Plantar Fasciitis is one of the most common foot problems affecting 1 million people. Patients typically complain of inner heel pain with stiffness in the morning and later throughout the day with weight bearing.

44 patients were treated who had previously failed extra corporeal shockwave therapy. Shock wave therapy works by a similar means through creation of micro trauma that increases blood flow and promotes healing in a deficient ligament or tendon.

A similar procedure is done with platelet rich plasma therapy, which involves needling of the thickened and oxygen deficient plantar fascia under ultrasound guidance. But rather than using cortisone, the patients own growth factors (extracted from their arm from a blood draw) are injected into the area of injury to promote natural healing. Unlike cortisone, platelets & growth factors have no reported ill effects of tendon tearing or rupture, but rather regenerate the tissue.

http://www.healthimaging.com/index.php?option=com_articles&view=conference&id=publication:37:article:15307:section:1&division=hiit

Stem cell therapy for soldiers in battle?

Military medics often struggle to get donated blood to soldiers in battle, which can take weeks to deliver. Also hospitals in the US have seen a sharp drop in donated blood resulting from risks associated with hepatitis and other disease. This supply shortage has increased the cost of transfused blood to hospitals which are already suffering in a recession.

Researchers at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) were recently awarded a large grant to implement technology developed from John Hopkins University using nanofibers to mimic marrow to produce blood and stem cells. Theoretically this would decrease the need for transfusions and decrease the costs associated with them.

This work may contribute the the global understanding & usage of stem cells to help save lives and cure disease. Clearly in our lifetime we will see more and more stories on stem cells and growth factors unlocking some of the chains of disease.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/health_medicine/4296060.html

Dr Steven Sampson launches new web site: www.orthohealing.com

We are pleased to announce that our new web site has launched! Checkout www.orthohealing.com to read more about our practice. We want this website to be a resource for you, so please feel free to drop us an e-mail and let us know what you would like to read about!

This site replaces the former www.prpinjection.com

Barack Obama Pledges to reverse Bush Administration Policy on Stem Cell Research

With the election of a new president, there will certainly be change. Recently in the Washington Post & CBS news, it was reported that Barack Obama intends to reverse the Bush policy on stem cell research. It is believed amongst the scientific community that stem cells offer abundant potential for challenging conditions including parkinson's disease and osteoarthritis among others. However, adult rather than embryonic stem cells are available with current technology and have little controversy associated with their use. The only problem is that harvesting them requires inserting a metal rod into the bone marrow to extract it. Hopefully, soon we will be able to draw adult stem cells from peripheral blood (drawing blood from the arm & processing stem cells). Clearly the orthobiologic field is growing, and we will learn more about the promise of stem cells in the near future whether adult or embryonic cells are utilized.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/11/09/politics/washingtonpost/main4586410.shtml

Platelet Rich Plasma used on Los Angeles Dodger Pitcher Takashi Saito

PRP or Platelet Rich Plasma has seen increased use in professional athletes. Recently, Takashi Saito, a star pitcher for the LA dodgers suffered a tear of his ulnar collateral ligament. In efforts to accelerate healing and to avoid a Tommy John surgery, Saito elected to receive the prp injection graft. As a result, He was able to pitch in the playoffs without limitations.

We have treated other professional athletes with similar results. PRP can be thought of in both high level athletes to accelerate recovery or in chronic non-healing injuries that have persisted despite conservative treatment or even surgery.

Hopefully as more high level athletes receive this treatment, it will increase awareness about this procedure that has very little downside and tremendous potential.

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-sp-dodfyi3-2008oct03,0,1021170.story

Also, Stanford University Football players have been receiving platelet Rich Plasma injection grafts with success.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/30/SPL7138OOQ.DTL

There is currently a multi-center FDA study on tennis elbow that will be enrolling more patients soon.
www.orthohealing.com

Also we are working on another PRP knee arthritis study based on the previously successful pilot study.

New Platelet Rich Plasma Studies Underway

As testament to the growth in the biologic sector, numerous orthobiologic companies worldwide are funding research & are obtaining grants with PRP use.



Applications of study include plantar fasciitis, achilles tendinosis, congestive heart failure, peripheral vascular disease, systemic sclerosis (scleroderma), knee MCL tears, perodontal tissue, aortic aneurysms, coronary artery bypass, tennis elbow, and rotator cuff tears among others. I am currently conducting research specifically on knee arthritis.
www.orthohealing.com

http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?term=platelet+rich+plasma

http://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/admin/rctview.asp?TC=1420

http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00198185?cond=%22Tendon+Injuries%22&rank=1

http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00761423

LA Times article emphasizes non surgical approach to arthritis

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Following the well publicized NEJM article suggesting the ineffective role of arthroscoopy in arthritis, many are looking for alternative treatments that are cost effective with little risk. This article from the LA Times highlights some options including an exercise program, physical therapy modalities, and weight loss. While I agree that physical therapy is beneficial, as is maintaining an active lifestyle; often we need to address the internal biochemical environment of the joint. This may be achieved with Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy. Our knee arthritis clinical trials continue to show promising results in most cases. I have the 3 mo data in & I am collecting 6 mo data in a few weeks from now. These results will be published.

http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-knees22-2008sep22,0,42582.story