Intra-articular platelet-rich plasma for the treatment of osteoarthritis

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is an autologous blood derivative that has been used in different medical fields, ranging from dermatology to ophthalmology and orthopaedic surgery, with the aim of stimulating tissue healing through the local administration of a milieu of platelet-derived growth factors and other bioactive molecules (1). In the orthopaedic practice its main application is in sports medicine (2,3) and in the treatment of degenerative disorders, in particular osteoarthritis (OA) (4). Due to its intrinsic features, PRP is believed to play a beneficial role in joint tissue homeostasis, exerting a positive modulation on all the articular tissues involved in the OA degenerative process, i.e., cartilage, menisci, and synovia (5).