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Platelet‐Rich Plasma Injection for Partial Patellar Tendon Tear in a High School Athlete: A Case Presentation
Author(s) -
ScollonGrieve Kelly L.,
Malanga Gerard A.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
pmandr
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.617
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1934-1563
pISSN - 1934-1482
DOI - 10.1016/j.pmrj.2010.11.008
Subject(s) - nothing , presentation (obstetrics) , summit , sports medicine , rehabilitation , medical school , psychology , medicine , medical education , philosophy , physical therapy , surgery , cartography , epistemology , geography
Patellar tendinosis, also referred to as jumper’s knee, is most commonly seen in elite athletes who participate in sports that involve jumping and directional changes. The prevalence has been estimated to be as high as 35%-40% in elite basketball players [1]. Histopathologic and biochemical evidence has indicated that the underlying pathology of tendinopathy is not inflammatory tendonitis but rather degenerative tendinosis [2]. Tensile overloading may cause microtearing of the tendon fibers followed by a focal degeneration. The onset is usually insidious and may relate to an increase in training intensity. Jumper’s knee is often refractory to currently available treatments, including relative rest, exercise (with a focus on repetitive eccentric loading), bracing, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), ultrasound, cryotherapy, friction massage, prolotherapy, corticosteroid injection, extracorporeal shock wave therapy, aprotinin injection, surgical decompression and resection, and open stimulation techniques. An asymptomatic tendinosis may precede an acute patellar tendon tear [2-4]. A complete rupture of the patellar tendon is often treated with early surgical intervention followed by a protracted rehabilitation course [5]. This course of treatment may not always allow for a return to competitive sport participation. Autologous blood injection has been reported to show promise in the treatment of tendinopathy [3]. There is a paucity of literature concerning the incidence and treatment outcomes of patellar injuries in adolescent athletes and the use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy for such conditions. This article provides a case presentation of the management of an adolescent athlete with a large partial patellar tendon tear through the use of ultrasoundguided injection of PRP.