The Contribution of Platelet-Rich Plasma to the Surgical Treatment of Rotator Cuff Tear: An Experimental Study
The Contribution of Platelet-Rich Plasma to the Surgical Treatment of Rotator Cuff Tear: An Experimental Study
Purpose of the study:
The aim of the study is to determine whether the postoperative administration of biological therapy with autologous platelet-rich plasma improves the clinical, imaging, and biochemical outcomes following surgical repair of a shoulder rotator cuff tear.
What does the study involve? The study involves the postoperative administration of biological therapy after blood is drawn from the patients and processed appropriately. All patients will also undergo the necessary laboratory and imaging preoperative assessments, the surgical procedure, and standard postoperative rehabilitation, as routinely performed at this center. Tissue samples may be collected intraoperatively for testing. Postoperative follow-up will include clinical evaluations at specific time points-before surgery and at 1 month (regarding pain), 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year after therapy administration. At 6 months post-treatment, patients will undergo a follow-up MRI scan.
Inclusion Criteria:
The patients enrolled had symptomatic rotator cuff tears, which were confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). They had failed previous conservative management and physical therapy of at least 3 months and were candidates for surgical treatment.
Exclusion Criteria:
a) acute shoulder trauma, (b) any history of a previous surgical operation on their shoulder, (c) the local administration of corticosteroids up to fifteen days before the operation or systemic administration of corticosteroids up to a month before the operation, (d) the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs during the trial, (e) any signs of infection or systematic inflammatory disease for at least fifteen days before the operation, (f) history of malignancy or chemotherapy during the previous year, (g) rotator cuff arthropathy with glenohumeral osteoarthritis and superior migration of the humeral head, (h) pregnancy or breastfeeding, and in case of any of these conditions the patients where ultimately excluded from the trial results.