Justin Vaughan illustration
Many arthritis sufferers have endured unsuccessful surgeries and cortisone shots to relieve their pain, but a new noninvasive procedure available in the Richmond area could offer relief. Dr. Vic Goradia of Go Orthopedics in Chester says he has used platelet-rich plasma injection with about five patients.
The treatment is fairly simple and quick. Blood is drawn from a patient's arm, similar to a regular blood test, and placed in a centrifuge. The machine spins it at a high speed to separate blood cells from growth factors and platelet cells, which are injected back into the affected area, accelerating tissue repair and regeneration. Besides osteoarthritis of the knee, shoulder, hip and spine, the procedure can be used to treat rotator-cuff tears, ligament injuries, tennis elbow, ankle sprains, tendonitis and other ailments. It's also been used in dentistry.
"It's a natural way of promoting healing," Goradia says. Typically, the patient will feel sore for a few days and experience relief in one to two weeks. Diane Rosas, Goradia's first patient to receive this treatment, had tendonitis in her left arm. She says she is now pain-free, adding, "It's changed my life tremendously."
