How do I know if it is right for me?

By The Blood, Inc. is a medical service company that creates a biological product from your whole blood.  This product is called platelet rich plasma (PRP).  It contains the cells that constitute your healing cascade which in turn assists your body in it's ability to fights infection and reduces swelling.  Platelet Rich Plasma also contains growth factors for the various kinds of tissue which triggers cellular proliferation.  This product is made from your blood, therefore you have minimal risk of complications or an immune response associated with the process.

If I have a chronic wound (a wound that is old and has been ongoing for some time) that will not heal can I use platelet rich plasma to help me heal now?

What is the oldest wound that has healed using this method?

The oldest wound By The Blood, Inc. has assisted with was a wound on the bottom of the foot that was approximately 4 years old at the time of treatment.  This wound was on the foot of a patient that had a spinal cord birth defect that did not allow her to the bottom of her feet.  Although, the patient could walk using assistive devices the patient could not feel sensation or pain.  The wound had been treated by her physician using conventinal methods which included bed rest, dressing changes, and even hospitalization at Arkansas Children's Hospital.  All were unsuccessful.  Treatment with platelet rich plasma applied by her physician in his office and followed by a home health nurse and By The Blood, Inc. personnel she was healed in 23 days from treatment.  This patient also had a wound caused by the bony prominence of her ischial tuberosity caused from bed rest to heal the wound on the foot which was also treated at the same time and healed.  The wound caused by her ischial tuberosity was over a year old. 

I have a wound that is currently being treated for an infection.  Can I still use platelet rich plasma to help me heal?

Yes, platelet rich plasma contains concentrated white blood cells and cytokines.  White blood cells are the cells that fight infection and cytokines are cells that communicate with your immune system to call in reinforcements such as macrophages and phagocytic cells.  These cells actually consume foreign bodies in the body that do not belong or are considered harmful.  Studies have revealed that Staphylococcus Aureus and Pseudomas will not grow in platelet rich plasma and studies have even showed a bactericidal effect.  (Isaly & Beckley, nd).

I have diabetes and my body does not heal at a normal rate.  Is platelet rich plasma a treatment option for me?

Yes, because platelet rich plasma is a dynamic process that helps your body heal faster.  First platelet rich plasma concentrates your platelet count at least four times your normal level and can be concentrated up to twelve times your level.  This concentration depends on the target tissue that needs assistance in healing and your platelet count.  If your platelet count is low we may want to concentrate your platelets more to get a therapeutic effect.  These platelets contain growth factors that are released when platelet rich plasma is applied with thrombin.  These growth factors enhance the development of different kinds of tissue.  These growth factors are PDGF, TGF a & b, EGF, IGF, PDECGF, and VEGF.  Each one of these activate and enhance the healing cascade and cellular proliferation.  Diabetics benefit from this effect as well as angiogensis noted in recent studies by VEGF that target the development of new blood vessels to allow blood supply to compromised tissue.  Vasopressive properties such as histamines, Serotonin, ADP, Thromboxne A2 and other chemotacic agents contained in platelet rich plasma reduce swelling and allow blood flow into the the compromised tissue.  This allows better oxygenation, nutrition, and waste management of the cells and therefore enhances the healing process and reduces the pain associated with poor oxygenation of cells and cell death.