Our patient was a 42-year-old nurse suffering from a torn common extensor, or what is commonly known as tennis elbow, in the right elbow. After eight months of being unable to work, multiple steroid injections and physical therapy (PT) had not improved her torn elbow tendon. At that point, a local orthopedic hand surgeon referred her to Geraci Spine and Sports Medicine to try a platelet rich plasma (PRP) injection before considering surgery.
I gave the patient a PRP Injection in her common extensor tendon under the guidance of ultrasound. Four weeks after the injection, a diagnostic ultrasound showed significant healing of the torn tendon, allowing her to restart PT.
After five weeks of PT and eight weeks following PRP injection, the patient had another diagnostic ultrasound, which revealed a completely healed tendon. Soon after, she returned to work without restrictions.
Shortly after she returned to work, she was the labor and delivery nurse on duty during the birth of my second grandchild, which made the experience extra special. The patient commented that it was because of the PRP treatment for her tennis elbow that she was able to return to work.
For more information see: Regenerative Medicine
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