621 - Utilization of Platelet-Rich Plasma in the Rehabilitation of Meniscal Tears

Objectives: Meniscal tears are due to rotational or shearing forces on the tibiofemoral joint, particularly during increased axial load placed on the menisci. The use of orthobiologics such as platelet-rich-plasma(PRP) have shown to decrease pain and improve functional outcomes in patients with meniscal tears. A review of PRP injections was conducted to determine its benefit in patients with meniscal tears.

Design: 28 articles were reviewed regarding meniscus tear and management. 13 articles focused on utilization of PRP in meniscal tears. The articles were retrieved through a PubMed search, using the key search words such as “meniscal tear,” “meniscal injury,” “platelet-rich plasma,” either alone or in combination.

Results: PRP, an autologous blood product rich in platelets, uses the natural healing power of platelets to address meniscal tears. PRP facilitates meniscus cell proliferation and regeneration by releasing a multitude of tissue-improving factors, such as fibroblast growth factor, and vascular growth factor,. Research showed that patients with meniscal tears had improvement in their functional outcomes measured with the Knee and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) after PRP injection. Meniscus tear patients also had improvement in their pain using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) after PRP injection. Although PRP did not show any radiologic improvement in the patient’s meniscal tears, patients reported improved activities of daily living as measured by the Tegner Scale after PRP injection.

Conclusions: Physiatrists aim to enhance functional mobility, limit pain, and improve the quality of life of patients undergoing rehabilitation for meniscal tears. Research has shown the effectiveness of PRP in treating patients who have not responded to conservative measures. Existing papers have limitations, including non-randomized trials and small sample sizes. Large-scale randomized trials are needed to thoroughly evaluate PRP’s potential long-term benefits in meniscal tear management.