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Efficacy of intra-tendinous injection of platelet-rich plasma in treating tendinosis: comprehensive assessment of a rat model

  • Musculoskeletal
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Abstract

Objectives

To assess the potential of intra-tendinous injection of platelet rich plasma (PRP) to treat tendinosis (T+) in a rat model of patellar and Achilles T+, and evaluate its local toxicity.

Methods

Thirty rats (120 patellar and Achilles tendons) were used. We induced T+ into 80 tendons (patellar = 40, Achilles = 40) by injecting collagenase at day 0 under ultrasound (US) guidance. Clinical examination and US at day 3, followed by US-guided intra-tendinous injection of either PRP (PRPT+, n = 40) or physiological serum (ST+, n = 40, control). Follow-up was at days 6, 13, 18 and 25 using clinical, US and histological evaluation. To study PRP toxicity, we injected PRP into 40 normal tendons (PRPT-) and compared with 40 untreated normal tendons (T-).

Results

All PRPT+ showed better joint mobilisation compared with ST+ at day 6 (P = 0.005), day 13 (P = 0.02), day 18 (P = 0.003) and day 25 (P = 0.01). Similar results were found regarding US and histology, with smaller collagen fibre diameters (day 6, P = 0.003, day 25, P ≤ 0.004), less disorganisation and fewer neovessels (day 6, P = 0.003, day 25, P = 0.0003) in PRPT+ compared with ST+. Comparison between PRPT- and T- showed no PRP toxicity (P = 0.18).

Conclusions

Our study suggests that mono-injection of PRP in T+ improves tendon healing, with no local toxicity.

Key Points

• We assessed the potential of platelet rich plasma (PRP) to treat tendinosis.

• We treated patellar and Achilles tendinosis in a rat model.

• We evaluated clinical, imaging and histological data.

• Intra-tendinous PRP injection could be useful in the treatment of tendinosis.

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Abbreviations

PRP:

platelet-rich plasma

PRPT+:

T+ tendon injected with PRP

PRPT-:

T- tendon injected with PRP

PS:

physiological serum

ST+:

T+ tendon injected with PS

T+:

tendon with tendinosis

T-:

untreated normal tendons

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Acknowledgments

We wish to thank Anne Perozzielo MD ( Unité de Recherche Clinique, Paris Nord, France) for her contribution to this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Service de Radiologie, Hôpital universitaire Bichat, Paris, France

    Benjamin Dallaudière, Marta Lempicki, Vincent Hummel, Ahmed Larbi, Agathe Hess, Paul Sargos, Elisabeth Schouman-Claeys & Jean Michel Serfaty

  2. Inserm U698, Hôpital universitaire Bichat, Paris, France

    Benjamin Dallaudière, Liliane Louedec, Jean Baptiste Michel & Jean Michel Serfaty

  3. Université de Médecine Paris Diderot, Paris, France

    Benjamin Dallaudière, Marta Lempicki, Agathe Hess, Elisabeth Schouman-Claeys & Jean Michel Serfaty

  4. Centre d’imagerie ostéo articulaire, Clinique du sport, Bordeaux-Mérignac, France

    Lionel Pesquer, Philippe Meyer & Alain Silvestre

  5. Laboratoire de Biostatistiques, Faculté de médecine, Limoges, France

    Pierre Marie Preux

  6. Service d’ Anatomopathologie, Hôpital universitaire Bichat, Paris, France

    Lydia Deschamps

  7. Institut Claude Bernard: Centre d’imagerie fonctionnelle, Bichat, Paris, France

    Clement Journe

  8. Service d’ Orthopédie, Hôpital universitaire Bichat, Paris, France

    Philippe Loriaut & Patrick Boyer

  9. Bichat-Claude Bernard Hospital, 46, rue Henri Huchard, 75018, Paris, France

    Benjamin Dallaudière

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  1. Benjamin Dallaudière
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  2. Marta Lempicki
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Correspondence to Benjamin Dallaudière.

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Dallaudière, B., Lempicki, M., Pesquer, L. et al. Efficacy of intra-tendinous injection of platelet-rich plasma in treating tendinosis: comprehensive assessment of a rat model. Eur Radiol 23, 2830–2837 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-013-2926-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-013-2926-7

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