The effect of platelet enriched plasma on clinical outcomes in patients with femoroacetabular impingement following arthroscopic labral repair and femoral neck osteoplasty

To compare the clinical outcome of patients treated with and without platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection while undergoing arthroscopic labral repair and femoral neck osteoplasty for femoral acetabular impingement. Patients were randomized at the time of surgery to receive either an intra-articular injection of 5 cc of PRP, or an equal volume of 0.9% normal saline. All patients underwent arthroscopic labral repair and osteoplasty of the femoral neck and, at the conclusion of the case, received the injection. One week following surgery, thigh circumference (measured 10 cm distal to the tip of the greater trochanter) and the presence of ecchymosis of the thigh were recorded. Clinical outcome scores, including Non-Arthritic Hip Score, Modified Harris Hip Score and Hip Outcome Score were collected prior to surgery at 1, 3, 6 and a minimum of 12 months post-operatively. Thirty-five patients were enrolled into this study. Twenty patients received a PRP injection and 15 received a saline injection. Thigh circumference was compared pre-operatively and 1 week post-operatively. There was no significant difference between the two groups. Ecchymosis was compared between the two groups at 1 week post-operatively. Four of the 20 patients in the PRP group and 10 of the 15 in the placebo group demonstrated bruising on the lateral thigh. This was compared with a Chi-Square test and found to be statistically significant (P = 0.005). There was no significant difference in any of the outcome scores between the two groups. An intra-articular injection of PRP after labral repair did not improve the clinical outcome up to 1 year post-operatively in patients undergoing arthroscopic labral repair and osteoplasty of the femoral neck. Level of evidence is level I study.