Plasma Rich in Growth Factors for the Treatment of Skeletal Muscle Injury

Abstract

Skeletal muscle tissue represents between 35 and 50 % of an adult's body weight, and it responds efficiently to changes in homeostasis. Muscle injuries are some of the most common sporting injuries and cause alterations that disrupt the force-transmission chain and result in functional impotence. Current treatments for muscle injuries have not undergone any major changes in recent years irrespective of the level of sport practiced, and their appropriate treatment remains a daunting clinical challenge. One innovative biological approach is intra-muscular injection of platelet rich plasma (PRP), which creates a suitable microenvironment to accelerate repair processes. Appropriate treatment requires an adequate diagnosis of the injury, which must include clinical history, physical examination and complementary tests. Ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques are required for muscle injures, not only for diagnosis but also in the application of PRP that will be carried out once the type and level of injury have been defined. The chapter ends with a description of the protocol we have developed including PRP elaboration, patient preparation and PRP infiltration, indispensable factors for a speedy and successful recovery of the athlete.