What is it?

Knee osteoarthritis is a condition caused when the cartilage between your joints wears away causing the bones of the joints to rub against one another. The rubbing of bone results in pain, swelling and stiffness, which can lead to decreased mobility and inability to carry out everyday activity.

Autologous conditioned plasma (ACP) (also called platelet rich plasma therapy) is a concentration of platelets and growth factors created from a small amount of your own blood. Our platelets have an important role in the natural healing of wounds as they contain various natural growth factors. ACP injections have been shown to be helpful in treating the symptoms of early knee arthritis.

Diagnosis and treatment options

Your consultant will take a detailed history of your symptoms, followed by a thorough examination of your knee. You might need some additional tests:

• X-ray
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan

The procedure involves a small amount of blood being taken from the patient, the blood is then placed in a centrifuge which spins and separates the platelets from the rest of the blood. The patient's platelets are then collected into a highly concentrated formula which is injected into the knee. When platelets become activated, growth factors are released and initiate the body’s natural healing response and reduce the symptoms of arthritis.

ACP injections are routinely performed in the clinic as an outpatient procedure.