The emerging use of platelet-rich plasma in musculoskeletal medicine.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is one of many new developments within the expanding field of regenerative medicine. Specialists in areas such as orthopedics, physical medicine and rehabilitation, and rheumatology have been exploring the benefits of this novel therapy. Although PRP therapy remains controversial and has minimal clinical trial support, the use of orthobiologics such as PRP continues to advance as patients seek nonsurgical approaches to acute and chronic musculoskeletal injury and disease. However, academic acceptance as well as insurance reimbursement remain reliant on solid and repeatable positive results from large clinical trials. The authors summarize the evolution of PRP therapy and report on its status.