Background: The effectiveness of intra-articular platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections has been evaluated in knee chondroplasty and osteoarthritis (OA); however, little evidence of its efficacy in hip OA exists. Purpose: To compare the therapeutic efficacy of autologous PRP, hyaluronic acid (HA), or a combination of both (PRP+HA) in hip OA. Study Design: Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1. Methods: Patients aged between 18 and 65 years who were treated with outpatient surgery and who had hip OA and pain intensity at baseline of >20 on a 100-mm visual analog scale (VAS) were recruited for this study. Exclusion criteria were extensive surgery; presence of excessive deformities; or rheumatic, infective, cardiovascular, or immune system disorders. The primary outcome measure was a change in pain intensity as assessed by the VAS at 2, 6, and 12 months after treatment. Secondary outcome measures were the Harris Hip Score, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), and concentration of growth factors in PRP and their correlation with clinical outcomes. Clinical outcomes were evaluated by assessors and collectors blinded to the type of treatment administered. Results: A total of 111 patients were randomly assigned to 3 groups and received 3 weekly injections of either PRP (44 patients), PRP+HA (31 patients), or HA (36 patients). At all follow-ups, the PRP group had the lowest VAS scores. In particular, at 6-month follow-up, the mean VAS score was 21 (95% CI, 15-28) in the PRP group, 35 (95% CI, 26-45) in the PRP+HA group, and 44 (95% CI, 36-52) in the HA group ( P < .0005 [PRP vs HA] and P = .007 [PRP vs PRP+HA]; F = 0.663). The WOMAC score of the PRP group was significantly better at 2-month follow-up (mean, 73; 95% CI, 68-78) and 6-month follow-up (mean, 72; 95% CI, 67-76) but not at 12-month follow-up. A significant, “moderate” correlation was found between interleukin-10 and variations of the VAS score ( r = 0.392; P = .040). Significant improvements were achieved in reducing pain and ameliorating quality of life and functional recovery. Conclusion: Results indicated that intra-articular PRP injections offer a significant clinical improvement in patients with hip OA without relevant side effects. The benefit was significantly more stable up to 12 months as compared with the other tested treatments. The addition of PRP+HA did not lead to a significant improvement in pain symptoms.

The repair of confined trabecular bone defects in rabbits treated by autologous bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC), platelet-rich plasma (PRP), freeze-dried bone allografts (FDBA) alone and in combination (BMSC þ PRP; FDBA þ BMSC; FDBA þ PRP; FDBA þ PRP þ BMSC) was compared. A critical size defect was created in the distal part of the femurs of 48 adult rabbits. Histology and histomorphometry were used in the evaluation of healing at 2, 4, and 12 weeks after surgery. The healing rate (%) was calculated by measuring the residual bone defect area. Architecture of the newly formed bone was compared with that of bone at the same distal femur area of healthy rabbits. The defect healing rate was higher in PRP þ BMSC, FDBA þ PRP, FDBA þ BMSC, and FDBA þ PRP þ BMSC treatments, while lower values were achieved with PRP treatment at all experimental times. The highest bone-healing rate at 2 weeks was achieved with FDBA þ PRP þ BMSC treatment, which resulted significantly different from PRP (p < 0.05) and BMSC (p < 0.05) treatments. At 4 weeks, the bone-healing rate increased except for PRP treatment. Finally, the bone-healing rate of FDBA þ PRP, FDBA þ BMSC, and FDBA þ PRP þ BMSC was significantly higher than that of PRP at 12 weeks (p < 0.05). At 12 weeks, significant differences still existed between PRP, BMSC, and FDBA groups and normal bone (p < 0.05). These results showed that the combination of FDBA, BMSC and PRP permitted an acceleration in bone healing and bone remodeling processes. ß

Adding a platelet gel or a platelet gel combined with bone marrow stromal cells to lyophilized bone chips increases the osteogenetic potential of the lyophilized bone chips and may be a useful tool in the treatment of patients with massive bone loss.

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Background:two-stage revision is considered the best treatment approach for the eradication of chronic joint infection. We report the outcome of 41 consecutive patients with infected hip prostheses, treated between 2000 and 2005, with two-stage revision using an antibiotic-loaded cement spacer.Methods:Patients underwent a treatment protocol which included clinical and radiographic evaluation, laboratory investigations, hip aspiration, 99mTc-MDP and 99mTc-leukocyte-labeled scintigraphy and intraoperative assessment. All patients were diagnosed with a late chronic infection and classified as B-host according to the Cierny-Mader classification system. 9 patients out of 41 (22%) required a second interim treatment period, with exchange of the spacer. The proportion of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus was similar between the one-spacer group and two-spacer group (28% vs 33%), whereas the proportion of patients with three or more risk factors was significantly higher in the two-spacer group than in the one-spacer group (28% vs 55%, respectively).Results:Forty patients had final reimplantation, one patient had a resection arthroplasty. At an average follow-up of 5.3 years no recurrence of infection occurred. The average post-operative Harris hip score improved from 41 to 80.Conclusions:In the treatment of two-stage revision arthroplasty the adherence to the protocol proved to be effective for infection eradication and final reimplantation.