What is Autologous Conditioned Plasma?
Autologous Conditioned Plasma (ACP) is a specialized type of PRP (platelet-rich plasma) used to treat arthritis pain. PRP treatment is a ground-breaking, non-surgical healing treatment that promotes and enhances healing in damaged tissue. Our PRP therapy consists of drawing your blood and using a centrifuge to increase the platelet concentration. This packs in mega doses of your body’s own healing factors which can help improve tissue quality, decrease pain, and improve function.
What makes ACP special?
ACP is also called LP-PRP (Leukocyte Poor PRP). The white cells in your blood can damage cartilage, so they are removed to make LR-PRP. For joints, we want to only inject pure plasma, platelets, growth factors. ACP has been shown to be much more effective for treating problems inside of joints when compared to other kinds of PRP preparations.
How do we get Autologous Conditioned Plasma?
The process begins with a simple blood draw in our office. You do not need to go to the hospital. And you can eat and drink right up to the time of the procedure. In fact, we prefer that you eat and drink normally to stay well hydrated. The syringe with your blood is then placed into a centrifuge where it is spun at high speed to separate the components of your blood into different layers in the same tube. We then draw just the plasma (along with the platelets and growth factors) into a smaller syringe for injection back into your joint.
How does Autologous Conditioned Plasma work?
ACP concentrates your body’s own growth factors, derived from the platelets and plasma. In fact, PRP can contain 1500 protein-based bioactive factors.
Platelets are part of the clot which forms at any injury. And when they clot, they release various growth factors to help start the healing process. By concentrating them we can provide that same healing response to a damaged joint.
These growth factors can help increase collagen production, decrease destructive enzyme activity in the joint, and reduce inflammation.
These growth factors include:
- Platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) - Enhances collagen synthesis, proliferation of bone cells, fibroblast chemotaxis and proliferative activity, macrophage activation
- Transforming growth factor ß (TGF-ß) - Enhances synthesis of type I collagen, promotes angiogenesis, stimulates chemotaxis of immune cells, inhibits osteoclast formation and bone resorption
- Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) - Stimulates angiogenesis, migration and mitosis of endothelial cells, increases permeability of the vessels, stimulates chemotaxis of macrophages and neutrophils
- Epidermal growth factor (EGF) - Stimulates cellular proliferation, differentiation of epithelial cells, promotes cytokine secretion by mesenchymal and epithelial cells
- Insulin-like growth factor (IGF) - Promotes cell growth, differentiation, recruitment in bone, blood vessel, skin and other tissues, stimulates collagen synthesis together with PDGF
- Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) - Promotes proliferation of mesenchymal cells, chondrocytes and osteoblasts, stimulates the growth and differentiation of chondrocytes and osteoblasts
What does ACP treat?
ACP is generally used to treat arthritis of the joints. It can help provide a last effort to avoid joint replacement. It can also be used to relieve pain from arthritis for patients who are not candidates for joint replacement, or in people who do not want to have a joint replacement.
Is ACP covered by insurance?
Unfortunately, most private insurers and Medicare do not cover any form of PRP. But Worker’s Comp insurance frequently does. For all other insurers this is an out-of-pocket treatment for patients. We are always conscious of the cost of care to our patients, so we offer this treatment for around $500 instead of thousands like you may see elsewhere.
