The mode of action of ACP and autologous blood therapy is based on natural growth and healing factors that are present in everyone's blood. For example, when tissue is injured during the natural healing process, blood platelets, technically known as thrombocytes, accumulate and activate, releasing the relevant growth factors and proteins for blood clotting, cell division and scar formation. This natural control of healing processes can be used in a targeted manner.
In autologous blood therapy, the platelets are isolated from the patient's own blood and enriched, while the other blood components used for immune response and oxygen transport are filtered out. This platelet-rich plasma (PRP) can then be applied to defective or damaged tissue. ACP, or autologous-conditioned plasma, works identically, except that the platelets are also removed and their messenger substances are used directly.
The body is then able to repair the damaged tissue itself as part of the natural, but stimulated, healing process. As with the healing of a broken bone, the injured tendon structures can grow back together.
The advantage of the biological treatment method is that it has virtually no side effects, as it uses only the body's own material. There is no need for additives such as cortisone. The procedure can make surgery superfluous or further stimulate healing after an operation.
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The procedure is very simple. The patient's own blood is collected by taking approx. 10 milliliters of blood from the patient's arm vein and then centrifuged. As the blood cells are of different sizes and weights, they can be separated mechanically and no further chemical processing is required. The resulting concentrate is then injected into the immediate vicinity of the diseased tendons. Depending on the biological activity of the target tissue, the procedure can also be repeated in order to obtain the maximum biological response.
The tendon tissue of the shoulder joint and elbow, which is sometimes subject to heavy strain, is particularly suitable.
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Shoulder
In the case of incomplete (partial) tears in the rotator cuff(rotator cuff tear), the plasma can support the self-healing of the tendon and reduce the local painful inflammation. In the case of complete tears, ACP is used to support the healing and regeneration of the operated tendon after arthroscopic suturing. The effectiveness of this therapy has been proven in several studies.
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Elbow
The elbow is one of the biggest winners in the application of plasma therapy, especially for tennis elbow and injuries to the extensor tendons. The injection of ACP is clearly superior to the most commonly used procedures, the injection of cortisone or painkillers, and shows significantly fewer relapses. In many cases, surgical interventions can therefore be avoided.
This text was proofread by PD Dr. med. univ. Patrick Vavken.
