Platelet Rich Plasma Treatment (PRP) at Tunbridge Wells Hospital

What is Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) treatment ?

PRP treatment is an autologous procedure meaning ‘from your own body’ that involves a small amount of blood being drawn from the body before being processed using a centrifuge to separate the platelet-rich plasma in the blood.

The plasma is then further processed with a centrifuge to separate a protein liquid, which is injected into the joint to treat pain and slow the progression of cartilage degradation, enabling you to get back on your feet faster.

At Nuffield Health Tunbridge Wells Hospital we are able to offer PRP treatment for foot and ankle conditions.

What are the benefits of PRP?

The benefits of PRP can include:

• Reconstruction of the injured tissue
• Prevention of painful inflammatory processes
• Improvement in mobility
• Delay in progression of the disease and the need for an artificial joint
• Reduction of analgesics with possible side effects.

How long do the benefits last?

A course of three injections, in weekly or fortnightly intervals, have been found to provide significant benefits for an average of 12 months.

Is PRP right for me?

PRP treatment should be considered for patients who are not finding effective symptom control for their musculoskeletal (MSK) related condition from other conservative treatments, and where surgery may not be considered an appropriate option.

What happens during PRP treatment?

• Blood is drawn from a vein in the arm
• The blood is then processed to separate the platelet-rich plasma and this is then processed further to separate a protein liquid
• This liquid is then injected into the affected joint
• The treatment is performed in our outpatient clinic, and takes less than 30 minutes.

PRP recovery

Patients may experience some localised pain and swelling from their injection, which will subside over 24-48 hours. There are no lasting side effects of the treatment, but we suggest bringing someone with you on the day of your treatment.

It is recommended that you minimise your activity level for 14 days (but not to exceed pre-injection levels).

Pain is reduced after just one week and clinical studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of one injection.

The effect of the treatment may take 3-4 weeks to become evident following the injection, with a sustained improvement over the coming weeks and months. Studies suggest one injection can last at least 12 months and will delay the need for surgical joint replacements over time.