Overview
It is very common for a patient to have a course of three PRP injections. The injections tend to be administered one week apart, depending on how the patient responds to their initial injection/s.
Before the procedure, you will have a clinical discussion with the musculoskeletal specialist about the benefits and possible complications of the ultrasound-guided PRP injection/s. The consultant will then ask you to sign the informed consent form before administering the injection/s.
Firstly, the consultant will draw a small amount of blood from a vein in your forearm, using ultrasound guidance if required. The ultrasound scanner will assist the musculoskeletal specialist to identify the vein quickly and efficiently to cause you less discomfort during the procedure.
The consultant will then process your blood in a centrifuge, which will spin the blood at a high speed. The spinning process will separate the red blood cells, white blood cells and plasma. The consultant will then extract the platelet-rich part of the plasma and inject it into the area of injury or into the joint directly, visualizing it using an ultrasound scanner.
Following the procedure, you will be given a detailed post-procedure care advice leaflet and will have the opportunity to ask the consultant any questions that you may have about the procedure or post-procedure care.
You will be advised to wait 15-20 minutes before you leave to make your way home so that we can ensure that you are safe to be discharged. We strongly recommend that you are accompanied by a family member or a close friend when having an ultrasound-guided PRP injection.
Within a week you will receive a report regarding the PRP, diagnostic ultrasound scan and about the procedure. Our consultants are highly experienced in performing PRP injections and regularly train other healthcare professionals how to administer these injections, both nationally and internationally.
