Is Platelet-Rich Plasma an Effective Healing Therapy?

Platelet-rich plasma therapy or PRP therapy is where a sample of the patient's blood is centrifuged into separation and then the concentrated platelets are injected at the site of injury. This is said to work due to growth factors that the platelet secretes. This therapy is usually used as a healing aid after injury to the spine and soft tissues but, also becoming popular in the use of sports-related injuries such as tendonitis. In the case of tendonitis, the therapy is said to help because the tendon does not get a good blood supply making it harder for it to heal on its own. So by injecting the platelets into the area there is a greater chance of healing due to the growth factors the platelet provides. This therapy however, is under supported in research as of right now. The research that has been done on this subject did not have a control goup so the current results could be caused by the placebo effect and the actual healing of the tendon to be from other healing factors in the body. It was also stated that just by injecting the needle to the site would cause bleeding which would improve healing anyways due to the sudden increase in blood flow to the area.

I think this article is interesting because scientists may be onto a way of repairing tissues like the tendon which in the past has been extremely hard to fix and usually done so by surgery to reattach the torn parts with artificial materials like elastic bands. Even if the platelets being injected didn't really help, wouldn't just sticking the area with a needle be sufficient enough to improve healing? That way you wouldn't have to spend time and money extracting blood and centrifuging it.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=platelet-rich-plasma-therapy-dennis-cardone-sports-medicine-injury