Latest research on platelet-rich plasma and orthobiologics

17 papers · updated 2026-09-26 · Sports Medicine · All topics

The newest papers on platelet-rich plasma and orthobiologics from the orthopaedic journals The Reduction reads, newest first, each with a one-line summary. The list is drawn from the digest’s archive and refreshed every week.

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Recent papers

  1. Morphological changes in tennis elbow after PRP injection: a novel MRI-based assessment in a randomized controlled study.

    Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery · Sep 2026 · PubMed

    LR-PRP showed modest benefit in reducing partial tendon tears and soft tissue edema in tennis elbow, but overall improvement was not superior to saline placebo.

  2. An International Expert Consensus Statement Defining the Best Practices and Areas of Uncertainty Concerning the Use of Orthobiologics.

    Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American) · Sep 02 2026 · PubMed

    An international Delphi panel reached broad consensus on best practices for orthobiologics (PRP, BMAC, exosomes, etc.) across various musculoskeletal indications, while highlighting persistent uncertainty in dosing, preparation, and standardization.

  3. A Precision Medicine Framework to Improve Patient Care Using Orthobiologics.

    Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American) · Sep 02 2026 · PubMed

    Precision medicine frameworks can improve orthobiologic efficacy by accounting for patient and treatment heterogeneity to guide personalized therapy allocation.

  4. Regulatory Frameworks and Clinical Development of Orthobiologics Across Asia and Europe.

    Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American) · Sep 02 2026 · PubMed

    Regulatory heterogeneity across Asia and Europe limits orthobiologics development; international collaboration is needed for safe, responsible innovation.

  5. Younger age and platelet-rich plasma characteristics influence short-term outcomes in knee osteoarthritis, but independent effects remain uncertain: A systematic review with meta-analysis and meta-regression of placebo-controlled randomised trials.

    Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy · Aug 17 2026 · PubMed

    This meta-analysis shows intra-articular PRP outperforms placebo for knee OA pain/function at 6-12 months, but evidence certainty is very low and optimal PRP formulation remains unclear.

  6. How Is Platelet-rich Plasma Utilized by Outpatient Providers When Covered by Insurance Without Need for Preauthorization?

    Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research · Jul 07 2026 · PubMed

    TRICARE's coverage of platelet-rich plasma injections without preauthorization increased utilization sixfold with questionable efficacy, highlighting risks of insurance coverage without evidence-based review.

  7. Biologically enhanced anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: Platelet-rich plasma or bone marrow aspirate concentrate does not lead to better clinical or radiological outcomes-A randomized controlled trial of 175 cases with 2 years of follow-up.

    Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy · Jun 19 2026 · PubMed

    Adding PRP or BMAC to ACL reconstruction grafts provided no clinical or MRI benefit over standard ACLR at 2 years, with BMAC potentially worsening graft signal intensity.

  8. The use of injectable orthobiologics for knee osteoarthritis: A formal ESSKA-ORBIT consensus. Part 2-Cell-based therapy.

    Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy · Nov 2025 · Review · PubMed

    This ESSKA-ORBIT consensus recommends cell-based orthobiologic therapy as a second-line injectable for knee osteoarthritis (Kellgren-Lawrence 1-3, with some benefit in Grade 4) after other nonoperative treatments fail.

  9. Experts Achieve Consensus on a Majority of Statements Regarding Ethics, Transparency, Regulation, and Best Practices for the Use of Orthobiologics.

    Arthroscopy · Sep 2025 · Review · PubMed

    A 20-expert Delphi panel reached consensus on 85% of statements guiding ethical, transparent, and regulated use of orthobiologics, though cost and ethics issues remain unresolved.

  10. Indications and contraindications to platelet-rich plasma injections in musculoskeletal diseases in case of infectious, oncological and haematological comorbidities: A 2025 formal consensus from the GRIIP (International Research Group on Platelet Injections).

    Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy · Jun 2025 · Review · PubMed

    An international expert panel issued 23 formal consensus recommendations on when PRP injections are appropriate or contraindicated in patients with infectious, oncologic, or hematologic comorbidities.

  11. The role of orthobiologics in bone healing and joint and tendon degeneration in the upper limb.

    Journal of Hand Surgery (European) · Jun 2025 · Review · PubMed

    PRP and MSCs show promise for bone healing but lack clinical evidence for tendinopathies and osteoarthritis; high-quality trials needed before widespread application in upper limb.

  12. PRP or not PRP: Is the debate surrounding platelets-based blood-derived products evolving?

    Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy · May 2025 · Review · PubMed

    This review argues that inconsistent PRP preparation and classification (platelet count, leukocyte content, activation) hampers standardization, and calls for a unified classification system to guide clinical use of blood-derived orthobiologics.

  13. Safety and efficacy of platelet-rich plasma injections in basal thumb osteoarthritis; should we offer it or not?

    Journal of Hand and Microsurgery · May 2025 · Review · PubMed

    Meta-analysis of 115 patients shows intra-articular PRP for thumb CMC osteoarthritis improves pain and pinch strength with high satisfaction and no major complications, though evidence heterogeneity warrants more RCTs before routine use.

  14. Orthobiologic Augmentation to Improve Rotator Cuff Repair Outcomes: Current and Future Strategies.

    Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons · May 30 2025 · Review · PubMed

    Reviews biologic mechanisms of tendon-bone healing after rotator cuff repair and current augmentation strategies—bone marrow stimulation, PRP, and stem cell therapy—while previewing emerging cell-based treatments like extracellular vesicles.

  15. Most Publications Regarding Platelet-Rich Plasma Use in the Knee Are From Asia, Investigate Injection for Osteoarthritis, and Show Outcome Improvement: A Scoping Review.

    Arthroscopy · Apr 2025 · Review · PubMed

    This scoping review of 155 studies found most knee PRP research originates from Asia, focuses on injection for osteoarthritis, reports outcome improvements, but often lacks standardized PRP classification or MCID reporting.

  16. Comparative Studies of Bone Graft and Orthobiologics for Foot Ankle Arthrodesis: A Critical Review.

    JAAOS Global Research & Reviews · May 01 2024 · Review · PubMed

    Bone grafts and orthobiologic agents show variable efficacy for ankle/hindfoot arthrodesis; limited comparative evidence exists to guide material selection.

  17. Glenohumeral Osteoarthritis: The Role for Orthobiologic Therapies: Platelet-Rich Plasma and Cell Therapies.

    JBJS Reviews · Feb 2020 · Review · PubMed

    Reviews orthobiologic options like PRP and cell therapies for glenohumeral osteoarthritis in younger patients, noting promising but still inconclusive evidence.

Landmark papers

  1. Platelet-Rich Plasma

    American Journal of Sports Medicine · 2009 · cited 1,312 times · PubMed

    This foundational review examines the basic science and clinical evidence for platelet-rich plasma in treating tendon, ligament, muscle, and bone injuries in sports medicine.

  2. Treatment of Chronic Elbow Tendinosis with Buffered Platelet-Rich Plasma

    American Journal of Sports Medicine · 2006 · cited 915 times · PubMed

    In this small cohort study, a single platelet-rich plasma injection markedly reduced pain in chronic elbow tendinosis patients who had failed prior nonoperative treatment, suggesting it as an option before surgery.

  3. Treatment With Platelet-Rich Plasma Is More Effective Than Placebo for Knee Osteoarthritis

    American Journal of Sports Medicine · 2013 · cited 768 times · PubMed

    In this RCT, PRP injections (single or double dose) significantly improved WOMAC scores in early knee osteoarthritis versus saline, though benefits waned somewhat by 6 months.

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