Has anyone had success with stem cell or platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections for healing a meniscus tear?
A tennis partner is deciding whether to have surgery (partial meniscus removal) or just do therapy in hopes the pain goes away. I had success with PRP injections into my shoulder and suggested he look in that option. The guy can afford the injections and I think this would be worth trying. For some reason he thinks he can have the surgery and his knee will be wonderful after that. In my mind cutting away part of the meniscus is not the same as healing. His tear is in the inner area not conducive to surgical repair.
There is a very long thread here where I believe the PRP treatment used - but I can't recall where it was used. I don't think it was successful. You should search it. I do not think that Stem cells were involved. I am not young.
There are many different meniscus injuries. I had 3 meniscus injuries that stopped me in pain because I continued to play on them after I knew I was injured. My approach was to ask the Dr if it was OK to try heal.
1) Right knee. On the first, I tried to heal for 3-4 months without PT. I asked the Dr for his opinion on the odds. He said 25% heal and 75% I would need surgery. I had little pain but knew I could not run over a surface like grass. I wasn't running anyway. No luck healing. I got surgery and the Dr estimated that he removed 30-40% of my medial meniscus. I healed well and have played tennis a lot since the surgery in 1999. I have just started to show some arthritis on X Rays.
2) Left Knee. Meniscus Tear. I asked asked the same Dr if I could try to heal it and he said OK. 3 months and it had improved. I took a month at a rubberized track to get back in condition. Knee OK. Requested physical therapy to correct my posture and wish I had done so for the first injury.
3) Right Knee. Meniscus Tear. Same result as #2, but this time the knee showed first arthritis enough to show on an X Ray.
You said - "His tear is in the inner area not conducive to surgical repair" check that for accuracy.
For healing, the center of the meniscus is often said to have less blood flow and healing is more difficult. Check this also.
I have later come to believe that some earlier injuries, say in the 1980s, may have been meniscus injuries. Untreated.
All injuries are different, take my experience but do not assume it is at all similar to your friends.
