Exosomes
WHY?
Harnessing your exosomes with your PPP is a low risk, high reward option using your body’s own healing properties. We combine the exosomes with your PRP for for your painful joints, tendons, ligaments, or muscle from acute injury or chronic damage. Please see PRP article on our website. In addition to providing already prepped PRP, we can harness your exosomes from the leftover PPP at the same time to add more powerful healing and expedite recovery even more than with PRP alone. We call it a “Supershot.” Many athletes and active individuals of a wide range of ages opt for this option to avoid steroids and surgery. Recovery is faster and easier than surgery. There is extensive data to support this treatment. Although exosomes are available from autograft (your own blood) or from allograft (donor), we currently offer the autograft version only.
There are several keys to making exosomes successful. Patient selectivity, provider experience, and the kit used to harness your exosomes are vital. Like with so many things in life regarding quality, not all Exosomes are created equally.
WHAT?
Exosomes are small membranes found naturally in our bodies that are filled with growth factors, mRNA, and other signaling molecules used by our cells to communicate and deliver a “payload” of healing properties if you will. All tissues have exosomes, but the usefulness is dependent on the source tissue. Exosomes help better signal proper healing cells for the specific area of injury or degeneration.
The goal of this treatment option is to:
- Decrease pain
- Decrease inflammation
- Improve function
- Heal the injury including small or partial tears
- Prevent further degeneration process
- Delay or avoid need for surgery
HOW?
- Obtain blood specimen of 60-120cc
- Relax x 10-15 min while specimens are centrifuged using our high-quality preparation kits and centrifuge to concentrate your platelets and separate your exosomes
- Anesthetize (“numb”) the area of injection
- Apply the PRP product mixed with exosomes to area of need – most often with use of ultrasound
- Relax x 10 more min in office
- Rest at home remainder of the day/evening
EXPECTATIONS?
It is normal to feel sore for 2-3 days and rarely up to 7-14 days or more. This is due to the healing process taking place. Take time to rest and “listen to your body” during this time. Eat well and rest more than usual. It will be worth it in the long run.
Avoid anti-inflammatories topically and orally for 7 days following the treatment. You may use over the counter analgesics (Tylenol, lidocaine) instead. Use of ice is discouraged.
Usually, you are back to PT or light sport by day 10-14 and back to full-fledged exercise or sport in 30 days. You may do other exercise not using the affected limb in the initial phase. This will be discussed more fully on an individual basis.
It takes 6-8 weeks on average for the “full effect” but can take up to 12 weeks.
Data supports that repeating PRP procedure in a series of 2-3 is more effective but we base this on each individual case. Most often, we are able to reach our goals with 1-2 PRP treatments, 4 weeks apart.
RISKS AND COMPLICATIONS?
With PRP and Exosome treatments, risk is very low. The main component that can pose risk is the injection procedure itself, not the product injected (since that is your own).
- Increase pain after treatment
- Infection
- Damage to nerve or other tissue
- Scar tissue at injection site
- Calcification at injection site
NEXT STEP?
It is most valuable to schedule a consultation to discuss your issue, goals, and whether PRP treatment is the best option for you. We look forward to meeting you!