The Role of Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) and Other Biologics for Rotator Cuff Repair

Efficacy of platelet-rich plasma and platelet-rich fibrin in arthroscopic rotator cuff repair: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Basic scientific studies have demonstrated positive effects of platelet-rich therapies, such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and platelet-rich fibrin (PRF), on tendon repair. However, clinical evidence indicating improved prognosis is controversial. In this study, we aimed to determine whether augmentation of arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with PRP and PRF improves outcomes compared to arthroscopic repair alone.

LITERATURE SURVEY

PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane library databases were comprehensively searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published until June 2022 according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. No language restriction was applied.

METHODOLOGY

The primary outcomes were the rate of repeat tears after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (retear rate) and clinical function scores (Constant-Murley Score, University of California, Los Angeles Score), and the extracted data were assessed for quality. Statistical analyses were performed using Review manager 5.3, and p < .05 was considered statistically significant.

SYNTHESIS

Ten RCTs with 628 patients were included. The results showed that augmenting surgery with PRP reduces retear rates compared to surgery alone (risk ratio [RR] = 0.40, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.23-0.69, p = .001), whereas PRF has no effect on retear rates (p = .92). Regarding clinical function, PRP improves Constant-Murley scores (mean difference [MD] = 2.03, 95% CI 0.13-3.93, p = .04) and University of California, Los Angeles scores (MD = 1.30, 95% CI 0.36-2.24, p = .007), whereas PRF improves only Constant-Murley scores (MD = 3.93, 95% CI 1.50-6.36, p = .002). However, these differences were small and below the minimum clinically important difference threshold.

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed that compared to arthroscopic rotator cuff repair alone, the application of PRP in arthroscopic rotator cuff repair reduces retear rate and improves clinical function scores, whereas the application of PRF has no clinically meaningful benefit. The small number and heterogeneity of studies as well as methodological limitations and risk of bias limit confidence in the true effect.

Current State of Platelet-Rich Plasma and Cell-Based Therapies for the Treatment of Osteoarthritis and Tendon and Ligament Injuries

➤

Orthobiologics encompass numerous substances that are naturally found in the human body including platelet-rich plasma (PRP), isolated growth factors, and cell therapy approaches to theoretically optimize and improve the healing of cartilage, fractures, and injured muscles, tendons, and ligaments.

➤

PRP is an autologous derivative of whole blood generated by centrifugation and is perhaps the most widely used orthobiologic treatment modality. Despite a vast amount of literature on its use in osteoarthritis as well as in tendon and ligament pathology, clinical efficacy results remain mixed, partly as a result of insufficient reporting of experimental details or exact compositions of PRP formulations used.

➤

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) can be isolated from a variety of tissues, with the most common being bone marrow aspirate concentrate. Similar to PRP, clinical results in orthopaedics with MSCs have been highly variable, with the quality and concentration of MSCs being highly contingent on the site of procurement and the techniques of harvesting and preparation.

➤

Advances in novel orthobiologics, therapeutic targets, and customized orthobiologic therapy will undoubtedly continue to burgeon, with some early promising results from studies targeting fibrosis and senescence.

Functional and radiologic results of the crimson duvet procedure in rotator cuff treatment: a randomized controlled clinical trial

BACKGROUND

Rotator cuff tears are one of the more frequent pathologies of the shoulder. Arthroscopic techniques and biologic augmentation have been developed to improve the rate and quality of healing. The crimson duvet procedure (CDP) theoretically provides mesenchymal stem cells through microfracture treatment of the footprint. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of CDP in patients who had undergone arthroscopic surgery for complete rotator cuff repair.

METHODS

A prospective randomized clinical trial was performed in a total of 123 patients, consisting of 59 women and 64 men, with a mean age of 58 years. We included patients with a clinical and radiologic diagnosis of a complete rotator cuff tear. All patients were treated with arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. In group 1, the surface of the footprint was débrided; in group 2, the footprint underwent microfracture. The primary outcome was the nonhealing rate, which was detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or ultrasonography, and the secondary outcome was the functional result. A Sugaya classification of I to III was considered to indicate healing. For clinical evaluation, the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Standardized Shoulder Assessment Form (ASES) and Constant scores were evaluated, along with the range of motion. The functional evaluation was performed preoperatively and at 6 months and 1 year postoperatively. The radiologic (MRI or ultrasonography) evaluation was performed at 6 months. Neither the patients nor the radiologists and physical therapists who performed the postoperative evaluations were informed of the random selection.

RESULTS

We observed a healing rate of 85.11% in the control group and 93.7% in the CDP group, which was not significant (P = .19). However, a significant improvement in function was observed in all patients. The ASES score improved from 68.9 (SD 13.8) preoperatively to 92.2 at 6 months and to 96.4 (SD 6.2) at 12 months (P < .05), but no difference was observed between the groups. A similar level of improvement was observed in the Constant score.

CONCLUSION

The arthroscopic repair of complete rotator cuff tears presents good and excellent clinical results in most patients. Nevertheless, nonhealing occurs at a rate that depends mainly on the age of the patient and the size of the tear. The addition of CDP did not improve the functional results or the healing rate.

Immunologic Contributions Following Rotator Cuff Injury and Development of Cuff Tear Arthropathy

»

Rotator cuff tear arthropathy (RCTA) describes a pattern of glenohumeral degenerative changes following chronic rotator cuff tears that is characterized by superior humeral head migration, erosion of the greater tuberosity of the humeral head, contouring of the coracoacromial arch to create a socket for the humeral head, and eventual glenohumeral arthritis.

»

Acute and chronic inflammatory changes following rotator cuff tears are thought to contribute to cartilage damage, muscle fibrosis, and fatty infiltration in the glenohumeral joint.

»

In vitro animal studies targeting various inflammatory modulators, including macrophages, insulin-like growth factor-I, and transforming growth factor-beta pathways, provide promising therapeutic targets to improve healing after rotator cuff tears.

»

The role of platelet-rich plasma in the treatment and prevention of RCTA has been investigated, with conflicting results.

Biologic Augmentation of Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair Using Minced Autologous Subacromial Bursa

Failure of rotator cuff repair surgery can be attributed to a variety of factors, including insufficient biologic environment to support healing. The subacromial bursal tissue has been shown to have a reservoir of mesenchymal stem cells and is a potential source for biologic augmentation during rotator cuff repair. We have developed a technique to capture the subacromial bursal tissue during subacromial bursectomy and then reimplant the tissue on the bursal surface of the rotator cuff tendon after rotator cuff repair. Our goal is to describe our technique of subacromial tissue collection and reimplantation that obviates the need of suturing a whole sleeve of bursal tissue while improving cell yield for rotator cuff healing.

Bony Ingrowth of Coil-Type Open-Architecture Anchors Compared With Screw-Type PEEK Anchors for the Medial Row in Rotator Cuff Repair: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PURPOSE

To evaluate outcomes of screw-type and coil-type open-architecture suture anchors with respect to bony ingrowth, release of biological markers, and patient-reported outcome measures when used in rotator cuff repair (RCR).

METHODS

Forty patients undergoing arthroscopic RCR for full-thickness rotator cuff tears were enrolled and prospectively randomized to receive a screw-type (19 patients) or coil-type (21 patients) suture anchor for the medial row during repair. All repairs used a transosseous-equivalent configuration with footprint anchors laterally. Marrow elements released during surgery were evaluated for 9 cytokine markers (insulin-like growth factor 1, fibroblast growth factor 2, bone morphogenetic proteins 7 and 2, platelet-derived growth factors AA and BB, epidermal growth factor, transforming growth factor beta1, and vascular endothelial growth factor). Postoperative computed tomography scans were performed at 6 months. Range of motion, strength, and validated patient-reported outcome measures (Simple Shoulder Test, Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation, visual analog scale, and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons scores) were gathered before the operation and at 6 months and 1 year postoperatively.

RESULTS

Bone mineral density surrounding the coil-type anchor was significantly greater than that surrounding the screw-type anchor (P = .005). Bone mineral density values within the coil-type and screw-type anchors were comparable (P = .527); however, a larger amount of total bone mineral mass (in milligrams) was shown within the coil-type anchor owing to its larger volume (P < .01). Marrow elements released at the repair site were similar between groups (P > .05). Postoperatively, no statistically significant difference was found between groups for clinical outcome measures at 6 months or 1 year. Retear and complication rates were similar between groups (P > .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Both the coil-type and screw-type anchors can be reliably used for RCR and produce similar clinical outcomes. The coil-type anchor resulted in superior bony growth surrounding the anchor and a larger total bone mineral mass within the anchor owing to its larger volume.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level II, randomized prospective comparative study.

Evaluating strategies and outcomes following rotator cuff tears

INTRODUCTION

Rotator cuff tear surgical repair techniques have significantly progressed. However, tendon retear following primary repair persistently occurs at high rates. Rehabilitation protocols, surgical fixation techniques, biologic therapy with scaffolds, platelet-rich plasma, and even stem cell applications are under study to promote adequate tendon healing.

METHODS

A nonsystematic query of the PubMed database was conducted in July 2016 utilizing the search terms "rotator cuff repair," "tear," "rehabilitation," "scaffold," "platelet-rich plasma," and "stem cell" to identify, analyze, and summarize relevant studies.

CONCLUSION

Individualized rehabilitation protocols may be the best approach for small to medium sized tears. Surgical fixation will continue to be debated as modifications to single-row technique and increases in suture number have improved tensile strength. Double-row repairs have been associated with higher costs. Transosseous equivalent technique exhibits comparable subjective and objective outcomes to single- and double-row repair at two-year follow-up. Biocompatible scaffold augmentation has showed inconsistent short-term results. Platelet-rich plasma has lacked uniformity in treatment preparation, administration, and outcome measurement with mixed results. Few human studies have suggested decreased retear rates and improved repair maintenance following bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell augmentation. This review reiterated the necessity of additional high-quality, large-sample studies to develop any final verdict regarding efficacy.

[Research progress of adipose-derived stem cells on refractory wounds]

Objective

To summarize the recent advances in the research of adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) for the treatment of refractory wounds.

Methods

The related literature about using ADSCs for treating refractory wounds in recent years was reviewed, and their repair mechanism and treatment progress were summarized in detail.

Results

Tremendous progress has been achieved in using ADSCs in combination with single stent technology, sheet technology, and other methods to promote the healing of refractory wounds. ADSCs can accelerate wound angiogenesis and promote the healing of refractory wounds through its own mechanisms of paracrine, proangiogenic, anti-oxidative and apoptosis.

Conclusion

With the advantages of adequate sources, easy to extract and culture, non-immune rejection, multidirectional differentiation potential, and significant angiogenic potential, ADSCs has become the ideal seed cells of tissue regeneration. However, it is necessary to improve stem cell transmission technology and develop biomaterials for clinical application in order to improve the refractory wounds healing.

Effects of bone marrow aspirate concentrate and platelet-rich plasma on patients with partial tear of the rotator cuff tendon

Background

We compared the clinical course of rotator cuff tears between rotator cuff exercise and bone marrow aspirate concentration (BMAC)-platelet rich plasma (PRP) injection to identify the therapeutic effects of BMAC-PRP on partial tear of the rotator cuff tendon.

Methods

Twenty-four patients with partial tear of the rotator cuff tendon participated in this study. Twelve patients underwent extraction of BMACs and PRP and received the injection of BMAC-PRP at the tear site under ultrasound guidance. Twelve patients in the control group were asked to perform the rotator cuff exercise for 3 months. Visual analog scale (VAS) and manual muscle test (MMT) scores of the supraspinatus muscle were measured, and the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score was recorded before, 3 weeks, and 3 months after injection. Tear size was measured by the greatest longitudinal tear length.

Results

The change in the VAS differed between groups at 3 months (P = 0.039) but not at 3 weeks (P = 0.147). The ASES scores in the BMAC-PRP group changed from 39.4 ± 13.0 to 54.5 ± 11.5 at 3 weeks and 74.1 ± 8.5 at 3 months while those in the control group changed from 45.9 ± 12.4 to 56.3 ± 12.3 at 3 weeks (P = 0.712) and 62.2 ± 12.2 at 3 months (P = 0.011). The tear size decreased at 3 weeks or 3 months after the BMAC-PRP injection but was not significantly different from that in the control group.

Conclusions

BMAC-PRP improved pain and shoulder function in patients with partial tear of the rotator cuff tendon.

Trial registration

The patients were registered in the institutional board registry of Samsung Medical Center (registry number 2014-07-173).

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13018-017-0693-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Clinical Results of Platelet-Rich Plasma for Partial Thickness Rotator Cuff Tears: A Case Series

Partial thickness rotator cuff tears (PTRCTs) are a common pathology among shoulder disorders in people over 50 years. Treatment of PTRCTs remains controversial. Most studies on the treatment of PTRCTs have explained surgical techniques or outcomes; few studies have centralized on the conservative and new management of PTRCTs, like treatment with Platelet-rich plasma (PRP). These case series study have been conducted on Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection, as a concentrated source of cytokines that can stimulate healing of soft tissue. PRP injection showed positive effect on improving PTRCTs complains. This method improved pain, function, DASH score and shoulder joint range motion in. Because of PRP products are safe and easy to prepare and apply, and also according to improving patient's condition, this method can be used to treat PTRCTs.

The Use of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells in Selected Skin Diseases (Vitiligo, Alopecia, and Nonhealing Wounds)

The promising results derived from the use of adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) in many diseases are a subject of observation in preclinical studies. ADSCs seem to be the ideal cell population for the use in regenerative medicine due to their easy isolation, nonimmunogenic properties, multipotential nature, possibilities for differentiation into various cell lines, and potential for angiogenesis. This article reviews the current data on the use of ADSCs in the treatment of vitiligo, various types of hair loss, and the healing of chronic wounds.