Date of Award

8-15-2021

Document Type

Open Access Thesis

Degree Name

MS in Physician Assistant Studies (PA)

Department

Physician Assistant Studies

First Advisor

Ryane Lester PA-C

Abstract

Background: Rotator cuff tendinopathies present as one of the most common musculoskeletal injuries of the upper extremity. The rotator cuff consists of four muscles: the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis with the supraspinatus the most injured of the group. Over time, variations regarding treatment through surgical or nonsurgical interventions have remained constant. In recent years, the use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) as an additional alternative has become popular to promote healing and improve functionality of the shoulder. The purpose of this clinical review using various study designs is to assess if the platelet-rich plasma injections are more effective when used with traditional surgical or nonsurgical interventions for the long- term outcomes of adult patients with rotator cuff tendinopathies.

Methods: A systematic database search was conducted for peer-reviewed articles and studies dated from 2018 to present using Google Scholar, PubMed, and ScienceDirect. Information pertinent to this clinical review consisted of 20 articles allowing for an all-encompassing comparative foundation to determine the most effective long-term treatment for rotator cuff tendinopathies. CURRENT Medical Diagnosis & Treatment was also used.

Conclusion: After evaluating all of the data collected to determine if platelet-rich plasma is effective in improving pain, range of motion, and functionality for patients with rotator cuff tendinopathies, results widely varied. At this time, it seems as if more research needs to be conducted because although it has been proven to show improvements, there are still variable results for both pre and post-operative intervention use of PRP..

Identifier

SC 11.PAS.2021.Slingerland.N

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