Intra-Articular PRP for Grade 2 Degenerative Meniscus Lesions; Radiological and Clinical Outcomes

Objectives: This study was conducted to evaluate the radiological and clinical results of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy in degenerative meniscal lesions.
Methods: Seventy patients with pain and grade 2 degenerative meniscal lesions on MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) were included in the study. All patients underwent Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Score (KOOS), Tegner-Lysholm, International Knee Documentation Committee Score (IKDC), Visual Analog Scale (VAS) clinical scores, and MRI scans before and 6 months after the injection.
Results: There was a statistically significant increase in Tegner-Lysholm, KOOS, and IKDC scores after the procedure (p=0.001; p<0.01), and a statistically significant decrease in VAS score after the procedure (p=0.001; p<0.01). However, no statistically significant difference was observed in MRI parameters (p>0.05).
Conclusion: It has been shown that the use of intra-articular PRP in painful degenerative meniscal lesions improves knee functions and helps reduce pain. However, no significant difference was observed in MRI controls. The results of our study indicate that the use of intra-articular PRP injection in patients with grade 2 meniscus degeneration improves clinical scores but does not result in significant improvement in degeneration as measured by MRI.

Keywords: Meniscus degeneration, Meniscus tears, Non-operative, Platelet-rich plasma, PRP, Regenerative medicine