Patients suffering from chronic joint pain, tendon injuries, or degenerative musculoskeletal conditions now have a new nonsurgical treatment option available at the University of Toledo Medical Center.
The Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation clinic at UToledo Health has begun offering Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) injections using the Arthrex Angel® System, a technology that precisely separates and concentrates a patient’s own platelets from a blood sample. Those concentrated platelets are then injected into the affected area by a UToledo Health physician, promoting the body’s natural healing response in damaged tissue.
UToledo Health is offering Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) injections through the Arthrex Angel® System, a technology that precisely separates and concentrates a patient’s own platelets from a blood sample.
“Platelet-rich plasma is an exciting treatment option now offered at UTMC for patients suffering from degenerative joint conditions, tendinopathies or other chronic musculoskeletal injuries,” said Dr. Christian Wuescher, an associate professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at UToledo. “This is a nonsurgical procedure performed in our office. Using ultrasound guidance, a patient’s own concentrated platelets and blood products are injected into the affected area to promote healing, reduce pain and speed the recovery process.”
PRP therapy works by drawing on the body’s own natural healing mechanisms. When a small sample of the patient’s blood is processed through the Angel® System, platelets — the cell fragments responsible for initiating the body’s healing response — are separated and concentrated. That concentrated solution is then delivered by a physician directly into the injured or damaged area under ultrasound guidance, targeting the growth factors the body naturally uses to repair tissue.
PRP injections are regularly used to treat a range of musculoskeletal conditions and soft tissue injuries, including tennis elbow, rotator cuff tears, osteoarthritis, chronic tendonitis and plantar fasciitis.
The entire process, from blood draw to injection, typically takes about 30 minutes and is performed in the clinic. No referral from another provider is necessary, current or new patients can contact the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation clinic directly to schedule a screening appointment to determine whether they are a candidate for the procedure. PRP injections are currently a cash-pay procedure and are not covered by insurance.
Patients interested in learning more or scheduling a screening appointment can call the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation clinic at 419.383.4022. The clinic is located in Room 0030 of the UToledo Health Science Campus Medical Pavilion, 1125 Hospital Drive, Toledo.
