Dr. Adarve performs a PRP

Patients blood ready to be spun in the centrifuge

The blood will be spun for 5 minutes

Clear separation of plasma and red blood cells

PRP ready for ultrasound guided injection

Dr. Adarve ready to inject PRP

Appropriate ultrasound visualization

PRP ulttrasound guided injection to heel

Continuing to inject PRP

Close-up of PRP injection

NY Jets Calvin Pace is having foot surgery today!

Sources: Calvin Pace out 4-6 weeks
Rich Cimini covers the Jets for ESPNNewYork.com.

NEW YORK -- Outside linebacker Calvin Pace is headed to a North Carolina surgeon to have his broken right foot repaired.
Pace's injury, coupled with the absence of star cornerback Darrelle Revis, has created major questions for the New York Jets vaunted defense -- a brash unit that describes itself as "swagger-licious."
"I'm not nearly as concerned as maybe other people are," Jets coach Rex Ryan said Sunday with a hint of defiance.
Amid league sources telling ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter that Pace was expected to miss four to six weeks, Ryan said he reached out to free-agent linebacker Adalius Thomas, confirming an ESPNNewYork.com report from earlier Sunday.
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Thomas, 33, released April 26 by the New England Patriots, spent seven seasons under Ryan with the Baltimore Ravens. The Jets envision Thomas as the third outside linebacker, behind Bryan Thomas and Jason Taylor, and were working Sunday night to hammer out a deal.
"I would say it would be a possibility," Ryan said. "I'm not going to rule that out."
Curiously, the Jets refused to give a timetable on Pace's injury. Pace, speaking on a conference call with reporters, conceded only that he won't play against the Ravens in the season opener.
"Hopefully, it will be somewhat of a speedy recovery," said Pace, who was injured Friday night when Washington Redskins tackle Stephon Heyer banged his helmet into the linebacker's foot on a cut block. "I'll probably definitely miss the first game. I think that's safe to say. Beyond that, I don't have any idea."
Ryan echoed that sentiment, saying there are "differences of opinion" on how long Pace will be sidelined. The Jets say they will have a better idea once the surgery is complete. It will be performed Monday by foot specialist Robert Anderson, as first reported by ESPN's Schefter.
Because his position requires him to push off with his feet, Pace may need even more time than the month-and-a-half before he's 100 percent, according to an NFL personnel executive. Evidently, the Jets are approaching it as a long-term injury. Othewise, they likely wouldn't have called Thomas, who apparently hasn't drawn serious interest from other teams.
Taylor, who turns 36 on Tuesday, will replace Pace in the starting lineup. The Jets envisioned Taylor as a situational pass rusher when they signed him as a free agent, but he will be an every-down player until Pace returns.
Thomas was a Pro Bowl player in his heyday, but his production declined steadily in three seasons with the Patriots. In 14 games last season, he recorded only 34 tackles and three sacks. He also fell out of favor with coach Bill Belichick.
Ryan said the best-case scenario would be to sign Thomas immediately and let him play in the final preseason game, and "see if he's the same guy you remember."
Bu that's a lot to live up to.
"A lot of the defenses we came up with, that are looked upon as maybe unique in the league, were due to his physical abilities and his mental abilities," Ryan said.
The Jets also can use Vernon Gholston at outside linebacker, his old position. Even though he has switched to defensive end, where he's starting to show signs of life, Gholston still is getting reps at linebacker. He saw fourth-quarter action against the Redskins, and he will play both positions in the preseason finale.
But with Pace out and Revis' contract holdout reaching 29 days, the Jets' defense is clearly back on its heels.
"It's going to be tremendously difficult to stay at the same level," linebacker Bart Scott said, "but we have to adjust the way we attack."
The Jets went 3-1 last season when Pace served a four-game suspension for violating the league's policy of performance-enhancing drugs. Of course, they had Revis for that stretch. Pace wound up leading the team with eight sacks.
"I'm still upbeat, I really am," Pace said of his situation. "Stuff happens in football. I'll say this: It's better to get injured playing rather than having to sit out four games because of a silly mistake as far as supplements."

Giants center O'Hara could miss rest of preseason

Giants center O’Hara may miss remainder of preseason
NFL Aug 26, 2010

New York, NY (Sports Network) – New York Giants center Shaun O’Hara is likely to miss the remainder of the preseason with a nagging ankle injury.
The New York Post reported Thursday that O’Hara, who was suffering from a sprain, tendinitis and a sore Achilles on his left ankle, was put in a cast to aid in healing the area.
The hope is once O’Hara is rested and kept out of the final two preseason games — against the Ravens this Saturday and with New England on September 2 — that he’ll be ready for the Giants’ season-opener September 12 against Carolina. O’Hara was quoted as saying he’d only wear the boot for five days.
Guard Rich Seubert will take the first 25 snaps in the Baltimore contest, with backup center Adam Koets taking the rest, according to the paper.

MRI confirms 76ers Andres Nocioni's ankle injury

Sixers G/F Nocioni slowed by ankle injury


Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Philadelphia 76ers newly acquired swingman Andres Nocioni is suffering from a left ankle sprain and no timetable was given for his return, the club announced on Tuesday.
The injury was confirmed following an MRI and examination by Dr. Dave Rubenstein.
The 30-year-old came to Philadelphia along with center Spencer Hawes in a trade with Sacramento on June 17, which shipped center Samuel Dalembert to the Kings.
Over 449 career games, 185 of those starts, Nocioni is averaging 11.3 points, 4.7 boards and 1.3 assists while shooting 37.5 percent from three-point range.
The Sports Network

Giants Aaron Ross suffers from plantar fasciitis

Giants' Aaron Ross would have been better off if he completely tore his plantar fascia
Published: 07:54 p.m., Wednesday, August 25, 2010
By Vinny DiTrani
The Record (Hackensack N.J.)
(MCT)

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Tom Coughlin became a little sensitive Wednesday during his post-practice news conference when question after question centered on injured Giants.
"Do the guys who practice ever get a question?" he said as he gazed to the roof of the Timex Center's indoor practice facility.
Unfortunately, this time of year, with the regular season looming, training camp injuries take on greater importance. The timetables for a return become more meaningful as the opener nears.
Take cornerback Aaron Ross, suffering from plantar fasciitis. Coughlin said Wednesday that Ross probably will have his right foot in a cast for about 10 days. That would leave him about a week to get ready for Carolina on Sept. 12, if everything goes right.
The injury was not discovered until after the team played Pittsburgh last weekend. It's still uncertain how it occurred, although Coughlin said Ross complained about his tape job during the game.
Ross missed almost all of last season because of a lingering hamstring problem. He worked hard during the off-season to make sure there would be no recurrence, and wore a big smile throughout camp as practice after practice went by with no hint of its return.
This new problem has hit him hard. He was so bummed out Wednesday he didn't want to talk to reporters about the injury. He knows his availability for the Panthers will be a question, and after what he went through in 2009, this is not the way he wants to begin the 2010 season.
Ross went to Charlotte, N.C., on Tuesday to get a second opinion from foot specialist Dr. Robert Anderson. The second opinion mirrored the first: Ross has the same injury that bothered quarterback Eli Manning for a while last season.
But Ross plays a position where there's more starting and stopping, cutting and backpedaling, all things that could irritate the injury. Safety Antrel Rolle knows all about it: He suffered a complete tear of the planter fascia while playing for Arizona last season against the Giants at Giants Stadium.
"I was backpedaling and it felt like a rock hit the bottom of my shoe," he recalled. "I thought maybe I stepped on something or someone threw something. I felt like a pop at the bottom of my shoe. It didn't hurt at first, but once I started running, it grabbed my toes and everything started pulling together."
Rolle, like Manning, did not miss any playing time because of the injury. Ross will not be that lucky.
"Actually, his is a little bit different than mine," said Rolle. "He has plantar fasciitis, which is a partial tear. I tore my plantar fascia completely.
"To tear it completely is actually better than to tear it partially. Once you tear it completely, it pretty much takes care of itself. It's a matter of much pain you can play on."
Plantar fasciitis is a swelling of the band of muscles at the bottom of the foot. And Coughlin was adamant Wednesday that in Ross' case, "There's no tear."
Rolle has counseled Ross on how the injury might affect a defensive back.
"I wouldn't say it was a lot of trouble; it's a matter of how much pain you can take while playing," he said. "For the first three games, I felt like it was pretty tough. After that, it was pretty much downhill and I got used to it.
"Just pretty much treatment, that's all you can do for it. It's not anything you can surgically repair or speed up the process with. They just do treatment, ice and (stimulation), and things of that nature."
Rolle said he still has some flashbacks to the injury.
"Trust me, it was painful," he said. "Even to this day, when I wake up, it's still, very, very stiff and very sore on the bottom (of the foot). It's going to be something that you have to deal with for a long time.
"Once it warms up, it's fine. When I wake in the morning, it's still sore and it still gets tight. Once you've walked on it and it's loosened up, it's fine."

Dustin Pedroia returning to disabled list

Dustin Pedroia's Injury Requires Two More Weeks in a Boot, Jason Varitek Still on Crutches
by Tony Lee on Jul 16, 2010 8:49:08 PM

Since he is sidelined with a broken left foot, Dustin Pedroia has to find competition any way he can. For now, it is beating the doctors' timetable of six weeks to return to action.
After a CT scan taken Friday afternoon showed some good healing in the foot, he still has a chance. However, Pedroia, who is off crutches and can put weight on the foot, will wear a boot on the foot for up to two more weeks.
"They said my bone is healing good," Pedroia said. "There already is some of it forming back together. But I'll have to be in the boot for a couple of weeks, which stinks, and they kinda of told me I can't play until I don't feel anything because I guess that bone can break off."
Therein lies the issue. If Pedroia pushes anything too hard he runs the risk of causing the bone to break again, which would end his season. That threat will cause him to pull back the reins once in awhile, despite his desire to get going.
"That's the thing that I'm gonna have a problem with is lying to [the doctors]," he added. "I'll be honest about it. I don't want to come back too soon and play three games and then be out for the rest of the year. That would be stupid and it wouldn't really help us in the long run."
Pedroia went on the 15-day disabled list on June 26. Six weeks off would put him back in the lineup during a series in New York the first weekend of August.
He will be fitted with a protective shoe and has a shin guard he will wear when he does return.
Until then, team officials just hope Pedroia curbs his competitive spirit just a bit.
"What I'm worried about is he'll try to do too much," manager Terry Francona said. "Listening to the doctors, they're relying on him a little bit, which scares everybody.
"If he's sore he'll back off, and getting an honest answer out of him is tough. All the qualities that we love in him, we don't want him to hurt himself."
Catcher Jason Varitek also had his broken left foot scanned Friday. He is "probably a couple of weeks behind" Pedroia, Francona said. Varitek remains on crutches and has yet to see any significant healing in the foot.

Truckee climber benefits from platelet rich plasma treatments

This climber had prp treatments done to his wrist but the Doctors at Gulfcoast Foot and Ankle can perform the same procedure on your ankles.



Truckee climber benefits from platelet rich plasma treatments


TRUCKEE — After two years of wrist pain and a forced hyatis from his favorite outdoor pursuit, 29-year-old Truckee rock climber Max Rodatz was getting cranky.In a search of relief, Rodatz made the medical rounds, visiting more than a dozen doctors ranging from orthopedic specialists to a hand surgeon. "The pain was keeping me up at night," Rodatz recalled, noting that doctors originally thought it was a result of a scaphoid bone injury, which is common with skateboarders.However, after "a million X-rays" Rodatz's doctors concluded that the bone was not injured. Later an MRI scan revealed the source of the pain: an injured ligament. A hand specialist suggested surgery, but the youthful Rotatz opted out. When Rodatz was at wits end, fellow climbing buddy Dr. Dennis Chez, of Gateway Urgent Care, suggested an alternative: Platelet Rich Plasma treatment, a procedure that consists of drawing a patient's blood, concentrating the growth factors and platelets and then injecting into the injury site."The MRI scan showed exactly where the injured ligament was, and in turn I was able to inject the medicine in the precise location," explained Chez, adding the hand/wrist joint is more complex than other joints, such as the knee.Rodatz said Chez told him that he could offer a "no-risk chance to change things." The entire procedure took approximately 40 minutes."After the injections I felt discomfort for a week," Rodatz recalled. "Four weeks after the procedure my hand felt close to 100 percent and the healing continues."After two years of pain, Rodatz, a manager at the Sports Exchange in Truckee, has returned to climbing."I'm taking it really easy," Rodatz said. "But still, I'm doing stuff that I haven't been doing in years and I love that fact that there was not surgery, no scars, no cuts."Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) treatment has been used in musculoskeletal medicine as early as the 1990s, and since the 1980s in surgical and dental procedures. The treatment helps regenerate tendon and ligament fibers and because it is comprised of one's own blood there is no chance of rejection from the body. Basically, it accelerates the body's natural healing process. Not surprisingly, PRP is popular with professional athletes who desire a speedy healing process.According to Chez the treatment is virtually painless and risk-free. "There's absolutely no downside because you are never allergic to your own blood," he noted.To obtain more information about PRP or to schedule an appointment, call Dr. Chez at 582-2070.Dr. Chez has practiced emergency medicine in the North Lake Tahoe area for over thirty years. He is the founder and Medical Director of Gateway Urgent Care in Truckee, which he opened in 1995. Gateway Urgent Care is located at 11105 Donner Pass Road in Truckee.— Submitted via aedgett@sierrasun.com

UCLA center Kai Maiava out for season with fractured ankle

Center Kai Maiava fractures ankle, is out for season
LOS ANGELES TIMES BY CHRIS FOSTER Sun, Aug 22, 12:12 AM


LOS ANGELES -- UCLA offensive line coach Bob Palcic shook his head, with hands almost trembling, and said, "I am sick to my stomach," after having seen center Kai Maiava go down with a fractured left ankle on the third play of the Bruins' scrimmage Saturday night.
Maiava, who started 12 regular-season games last season, will undergo surgery once the swelling goes down and could have a screw put on the bone to help it heal. He will be lost for the season.
The injury overshadowed some bright spots for the offense, as players and coaches were concerned about losing the rock on which the offensive line is built.
"He's a leader, and one of our best front guys," Coach Rick Neuheisel said. "That's a blow. That's always the fear with a scrimmage, and it was the third play. It's not like we went too long."
Redshirt freshman Greg Capella played center with the first team after Maiava was injured. But Palcic said that left guard Ryan Taylor will move to the center, with Darius Savage likely filling the left guard spot.
"The reason I didn't move Taylor to center tonight is because he hasn't played the position in training camp," Palcic said. "I told Rick that I have two weeks to get Ryan ready."
But the domino effect will be felt. The Bruins, at the moment, are without the five players on the offensive line that started the 2009 season.
That will change when guard Eddie Williams returns from a concussion. Williams is expected to be back Monday, but only for non-contact drills, Neuheisel said.
The offensive line has lost Xavier Su'a-Filo, who is on a two-year Mormon mission; Jeff Baca, who is out because of a stress fracture in his right leg, and Mike Harris, who is suspended for the season opener.
"You get guys beat up and hurt, and you've just have to find guys who can play," offensive coordinator Norm Chow said. "I think the difference between a real good program and the program that we want to become is depth, the depth of a team, because you're going to get injuries."
This, though, seemed to go beyond a numbers game. Maiava was a key leader, not only on the line, but on the offense.
Last season, when quarterback Kevin Prince was leveled by what the Bruins felt was a cheap shot by Washington's Donald Butler, it was Maiava who walked halfway to the Huskies huddle hurling obscenities.
"It's a tremendous loss," tackle Micah Kia said. "Kai is a tremendous leader, tremendous offensive lineman, and the spirit he brings to the game is irreplaceable."

Seahawks Russell Okung suffers high right ankle sprain

Seahawks lose LT Okung to ankle injury
By GREGG BELL / AP Sports Writer
Published: August 21st, 2010 10:22 PM
Last Modified: August 21st, 2010 10:47 PM


SEATTLE - The Seahawks could be without sixth-overall draft choice Russell Okung for a while after he left Seattle's second preseason game with an ankle injury.
Coach Pete Carroll said after Green Bay beat Seattle 27-24 on Saturday night that the left tackle to whom Seattle just guaranteed $29 million to replace retired All-Pro Walter Jones could have a high right ankle sprain, pending an MRI exam Sunday. Those sometimes take two months or more to heal.
"It's pretty significant," Carroll said of the loss of the foundation to his changing offensive line. "Obviously we made it as big a priority as we could make it to get him."
Carroll said he didn't know how Okung got injured, only that it stings the entire team that is banking on improved offensive line play to lead a comeback season from 9-23 the last two years.
He sprained the same ankle in Oklahoma State's opener against Georgia last season but missed only a few plays. The 6-foot-5, 310-pound stalwart started all 13 games for those college Cowboys last season, though the ankle continued to bother him late into the year.
Mansfield Wrotto, normally a guard, replaced him. Seattle is already without backup tackle Ray Willis for an indefinite time because he is facing knee surgery.
After Okung missed the first eight days of training camp because of a contract impasse, the Seahawks gave him a six-year deal earlier this month that has a maximum value of $58 million.
"That's a big loss if he can't come back. We put a lot of time and effort to get this guy right and he's done everything we've asked of him," Carroll said. "We'll see what it is. I don't know how long it's going to take."
Asked if it could be more than a couple of weeks that a more conventional, lower ankle sprain sometimes needs to heal, Carroll said: "It could be. We don't know that yet. We'll figure him out. We don't know him as a healer, either."
For a point of reference at the same position, Seattle was without fill-in left tackle Sean Locklear for six games last season because of a high ankle sprain. Locklear is now starting on the right side but could be headed back to left tackle with Okung's injury.
Okung was not in the Seahawks' locker room following the game.

Read more: http://www.adn.com/2010/08/21/1419467/seahawks-lose-lt-okung-to-ankle.html#ixzz0xq4sCYDL

Boston Bruins Trent Whitfield ruptures his achilles tendon

Whitfield Injured, Door Open
August 22, 2010


It looks as if the injury bug that hung around Boston last year hasn't moved on yet. It has been reported that veteran centerman Trent Whitfield has ruptured his achilles' tendon while training for the upcoming season. Whitfield played a majority of last year with the P-Bruins but was called up at times to Boston when there were injuries to both Savard and Bergeron. Whitfield would have been counted on to provide leadership and guidance to the younger players in Providence this year. He has a lot of NHL and AHL miles, and from everything I have heard, is a great influence and professional when it comes to hockey. It is going to be hard to replace that influence in Providence. So now that you have heard the bad news, what does this mean for the roster in the upcoming season? Most likely, Whitfield was going to be the 5th center in the organization once again this year. His injury may give Joe Colbourne the oppourtunity to either become the top line center in Providence or even battle for the last spot on the Boston Roster. The injury also leaves Reich as one of the only vets in Providece, so that signing is looking to be more important than originally thought. I think you will see Boston go out and sign an AHL veteran or journeyman that can fill the void left if Whitfield is going to miss the season.

Brian Urlacher injures calf in Saturdays game against the Oakland Raiders

Bears’ Brian Urlacher injures leg in exhibition
SportingNews Aug 22, 11:08 am EDT


Brian Urlacher's woes continued Saturday when the middle linebacker was removed from the Chicago Bears' exhibition against the Oakland Raiders. Reports indicate Urlacher injured his left calf.Urlacher missed all but one game last season with a broken wrist.Saturday's injury occurred on the fourth play from scrimmage. He came off the field and was seen on the bench with an ice pack on his left, the Associated Press reports.The extent of Urlacher's injury was not immediately known, but it was not believed serious. Team officials decided to play it safe and kept him out the remainder of the game.

Dolphins Nate Garner has foot surgery

Breaking News: Nate Garner out 4-6 weeks
Found 10 days ago on Phin Phanatic:

Injuries continue to mount for the Miami Dolphins in the pre-season. Omar Kelley tweeted that in Tony Sparano’s presser today that he announced Nate Garner had surgery on his foot five days ago and will be out 4-6 weeks. This is purely speculation but chances are Garner could be placed on the PUP list to start the season and not available until week 7. Last year Garner became extremely valuable to the Dolphins for his ability to play multiple positions along the line. This year is going to be no different and Garner is the swing man that will be the back up at 4 or the 5 positions along the line. His loss just adds to the injuries that have been mounting throughout camp. According to Kelly, Sparano also expressed concern about John Jerry’s knee and the continued soreness that has held him out of practice.

A's Rosales on DL due to ankle injury

Ankle injury forces A's Rosales to DLOakland calls up Tolleson to replace ailing infielder
08/13/10 7:39 PM ET


MINNEAPOLIS -- Adam Rosales isn't one to ever really slow down, but Oakland's ultra utility man will have to do just that for the next month after learning he has a stress fracture in his right ankle.
A's assistant general manager David Forst confirmed the diagnosis Friday, when the club placed Rosales on the 15-day disabled list and recalled infielder Steve Tolleson from Triple-A Sacramento.
According to Forst, Rosales initially had an MRI last week that showed his old stress fracture, first suffered during his time with the Reds nearly a year ago.
"All indications were that it was an old fracture," Forst said, "so it was hard to tell if the pain in his ankle was really stemming from that. The pain he was feeling was in a different spot."
Thus, Rosales was simply given a couple days to rest before being inserted into the starting shortstop spot Wednesday in Seattle, where he played just one inning before the ankle forced him to exit the game. The 26-year-old Rosales was subsequently sent to Oakland to see a specialist, who finally determined the pain he was enduring was, in fact, the result of his old stress fracture.
"The only way to treat that is really to rest," Forst said. "Our best guess, at least from what the doctor said, is that we should assume he'll need four weeks or less."
The move represented the 22nd time the A's have used the disabled list this season, which is tied for second most in Oakland history only to the mark of 25 set in 2008. The club currently has a season-high-tying 11 players on the DL.
"It's frustrating," Forst said. "Obviously, there are some injuries that are more frustrating than others. With Rosales, this is just an overuse injury. There's no way to prevent something like this. So this is something he'll be able to deal with and then move on."
In the meantime, Tolleson will likely be given a longer look than was given during his first stint with the A's this year, which saw him appear in just three games. He collected one hit -- his first one as a Major Leaguer -- in four at-bats during that time.
The 26-year-old utility player was batting .332 with nine home runs and 43 RBIs in 80 games with Sacramento. Furthermore, he left the River Cats having hit safely in each of his last nine games, going 17-for-39 (.436) over that stretch.
"He's swung the bat great, and he's been a big part of the offense down there," Forst said. "We're hopeful he comes in and can give some guys a day off here and there, because we know he can play all the infield positions. That's something we'll need as we get down to the grind of the last couple months of the season."
"He's done a fine job with Triple-A," manager Bob Geren added. "We'll get him some action."

A promising treatment for athletes, in blood PRP

A Promising Treatment for Athletes, in Blood
By ALAN SCHWARZ
Published: February 16, 2009

Two of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ biggest stars, Hines Ward and Troy Polamalu, used their own blood in an innovative injury treatment before winning the Super Bowl. At least one major league pitcher, about 20 professional soccer players and perhaps hundreds of recreational athletes have also undergone the procedure, commonly called platelet-rich plasma therapy.
Experts in sports medicine say that if the technique’s early promise is fulfilled, it could eventually improve the treatment of stubborn injuries like tennis elbow and knee tendinitis for athletes of all types.
The method, which is strikingly straightforward and easy to perform, centers on injecting portions of a patient’s blood directly into the injured area, which catalyzes the body’s instincts to repair muscle, bone and other tissue. Most enticing, many doctors said, is that the technique appears to help regenerate ligament and tendon fibers, which could shorten rehabilitation time and possibly obviate surgery.
Research into the effects of platelet-rich plasma therapy has accelerated in recent months, with most doctors cautioning that more rigorous studies are necessary before the therapy can emerge as scientifically proven. But many researchers suspect that the procedure could become an increasingly attractive course of treatment for reasons medical and financial.
“It’s a better option for problems that don’t have a great solution — it’s nonsurgical and uses the body’s own cells to help it heal,” said Dr. Allan Mishra, an assistant professor of orthopedics at Stanford University Medical Center and one of the primary researchers in the field. “I think it’s fair to say that platelet-rich plasma has the potential to revolutionize not just sports medicine but all of orthopedics. It needs a lot more study, but we are obligated to pursue this.”
Dr. Neal ElAttrache, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ team physician, used platelet-rich plasma therapy in July on a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in the throwing elbow of pitcher Takashi Saito. Surgery would have ended Mr. Saito’s season and shelved him for about 10 to 14 months; he instead returned to pitch in the September pennant race without pain.
Dr. ElAttrache said he could not be certain that the procedure caused the pitcher’s recovery — about 25 percent of such cases heal on their own, he said — but it was another encouraging sign for the nascent technique, which doctors in the field said could help not just injuries to professional athletes but the tendinitis and similar ailments found in the general population.
“For the last several decades, we’ve been working on the mechanical effects of healing — the strongest suture constructs, can we put strong anchors in?” Dr. ElAttrache said. “But we’ve never been able to modulate the biology of healing. This is addressing that issue. It deserves a lot more study before we can say that it works with proper definitiveness. The word I would use is promising.”
Platelet-rich plasma is derived by placing a small amount of the patient’s blood in a filtration system or centrifuge that rotates at high speed, separating red blood cells from the platelets that release proteins and other particles involved in the body’s self-healing process, doctors said. A teaspoon or two of the remaining substance is then injected into the damaged area. The high concentration of platelets — from 3 to 10 times that of normal blood — often catalyzes the growth of new soft-tissue or bone cells. Because the substance is injected where blood would rarely go otherwise, it can deliver the healing instincts of platelets without triggering the clotting response for which platelets are typically known.
“This could be a method to stimulate wound healing in areas that are not well-vascularized, like ligaments and tendons,” said Dr. Gerjo van Osch, a researcher in the department of orthopedics at Erasmus University Medical Center in the Netherlands. “I call it a growth-factor cocktail — that’s how I explain it.”
Dr. van Osch and several other experts said they had used the procedure as a first option before surgery for reasons beyond its early results. There is little chance for rejection or allergic reaction because the substance is autologous, meaning it comes from the patient’s own body; the injection carries far less chance for infection than an incision and leaves no scar, and it takes only about 20 minutes, with a considerably shorter recovery time than after surgery.
Because of those apparent benefits, the consensus among doctors is that the procedure is worth pursuing. However, several doctors emphasized that platelet-rich plasma therapy as it stands now appeared ineffective in about 20 to 40 percent of cases, depending on the injury. But they added that because the procedure costs about $2,000 — compared with $10,000 to $15,000 for surgery — they expected that with more refinement, insurance companies would eventually not only authorize the use of PRP therapy but even require it as a first course of treatment.

Bills rookie WR, David Nelson, out indefinitely with lower leg injury

Bills rookie WR Nelson injures right leg, carted off field
Associated Press
Published: Aug. 17, 2010 at 07:10 p.m.
Updated: Aug. 17, 2010 at 09:52 p.m.

By Associated Press

PITTSFORD, N.Y. -- Buffalo Bills rookie wide receiver David Nelson is out indefinitely after being carted off the field with a right leg injury during Tuesday's practice.
"It doesn't look good," said Bills coach Chan Gailey, who didn't provide specifics on Nelson's injury.
Based on the initial prognosis, Gailey said it was uncertain that Nelson will recover in time for the Bills' Sept. 12 season opener against the Miami Dolphins.
Nelson was hurt about an hour into practice Tuesday while participating in a team red-zone drill. He caught a Levi Brown pass over the middle, turned toward the end zone and was on his way down when he was nudged sideways by a defender, who was attempting to avoid a collision.
It appeared that Nelson's right foot was caught in the turf as he fell.
Nelson immediately clutched at his lower leg. Trainers spent about five minutes treating the player and keeping his foot elevated. Nelson was then loaded into a cart and unable to put any weight on his foot.
An undrafted rookie free agent out of Florida, Nelson is part of a raw and inexperienced receiving corps competing for a backup spot on the team. He had a solid NFL debut, making a team-high five catches for 47 yards and one touchdown during a 42-17 loss Friday at Washington in the Bills' preseason opener.
Buffalo already is down two receivers entering its preseason game Thursday against the Indianapolis Colts in Toronto. Rookie Marcus Easley is set to have surgery on his left knee, and James Hardy has missed a week with an undisclosed injury.

And that doesn't include Felton Huggins, who was waived/injured last week after he hurt his left shoulder
Starting free safety Jairus Byrd missed practice Tuesday because of what Gailey called a "physical complication." Gailey provided no other details except to say he believes it will be resolved very quickly and that the player was having the complication checked out.
Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

Three Researchers Awarded 2010 Toshiba America Medical Systems/RSNA Grants

One of these Grants was awarded to Kenneth Lee. He is looking to find a more effective treatment for moderate to severe plantar fasciitis. He will also be evaluating platelet rich plasma injections.

Three Researchers Awarded 2010 Toshiba America Medical Systems/RSNA Grants
08.18.10, 06:00 AM EDT

BusinessWire - The Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) Research & Education (R&E) Foundation awarded 2010 Toshiba America Medical Systems/RSNA grants to Kenneth S. Lee, M.D., Nitin Ohri, M.D., and Ben Paxton, M.D. The grants are made possible by Toshiba's support of the RSNA R&E Foundation.
The Toshiba America Medical Systems/RSNA Research Seed Grant enables investigators to test hypotheses and conduct feasibility studies en route to major trials. These pilot phases of projects are critical to the development of applications for funding from major corporate and federal sources. The grant award is up to $40,000 for a one-year study.
Kenneth S. Lee, M.D., University of Wisconsin, was awarded the Seed Grant and will look to find a more effective treatment option for moderate to severe chronic plantar fasciitis. His study will evaluate acoustoelastography as a way to measure the healing changes and outcomes of platelet-rich plasma injections in order to improve patient care.
The Toshiba America Medical Systems/RSNA Research Resident Grant is designed to give residents an opportunity to gain insight into a research career by providing dedicated time for research projects. The grant award is $30,000 for a one-year study. Dr. Ohri and Dr. Paxton received the Research Resident Grant.
Nitin Ohri, M.D., Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, will use his grant to characterize the FDG-PET response patterns of non--small cell lung cancer tumors after chemoradiotherapy. Ben Paxton, M.D., Duke University Medical Center, will further develop a minimally invasive, image-guided intervention for treatment of morbid obesity by utilizing an innovative and novel percutaneous endovascular procedure.
The RSNA R&E Foundation is awarding a total of 71 grants in 2010, valued at $2.25 million. "The R&E Foundation is proud to take a leadership role in funding grant awards to young investigators. We recognize the critical link between today's research and tomorrow's practice," said Jack E. Price, chair of the R&E Foundation Board of Trustees. "In addition, our commitment to education ensures the development of tomorrow's workforce."

Titans rookie RB, Stafon Johnson, has surgery on ankle

Titans rookie RB Johnson has surgery on dislocated ankle
NFL.com Wire Reports
Published: Aug. 14, 2010 at 02:40 a.m.
Updated: Aug. 15, 2010 at 08:05 p.m.
By NFL.com Wire Reports

Rookie running back Stafon Johnson, who overcame a potentially life-altering throat injury last September, vowed to persevere again after he dislocated his right ankle during the Tennessee Titans' 20-18 preseason-opening loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
Johnson had surgery on the ankle Sunday, writing on Twitter shortly afterward: "Feeling kool thank u guys 4 all the love specially my titan bro's."
Johnson was hit high and spun around by Seahawks defensive back Kam Chancellor following a short reception on the final play of the third quarter in Saturday night's game in Seattle. Johnson then landed hard on his right leg.
As the Titans prayed on one knee nearby and coach Jeff Fisher held Johnson's head, the running back was driven off the field while seated on the back of a cart. An air cast was placed on his lower right leg. He briefly held his hands over his face, then pointed toward the heavens.
Johnson's injury opens the door
Stafon Johnson faces another long recovery from injury, and his misfortune could give undrafted rookie RB LeGarrette Blount a better opportunity to make the team. More ...
"Bouncing back from trials and tribulations, this is just a bump in the road," Johnson told The Tennessean on Saturday. "God has brought me back this far, and it felt good to be where I'd gotten to. This is minimum compared to what I have been through, really.
"I'm going to continue to try and prove myself," added Johnson, whose final season at USC ended when a falling weight bar crushed his neck and larynx. "I'm just going to rehab it and try and get back as soon as possible."
Johnson's teammates talked about the injury in somber tones after the game.
"All that stuff he has been through, we just have to be motivating for him and keep him in our prayers," quarterback Vince Young said.
Johnson, an undrafted free agent, had been battling to win a backup job to 2,000-yard rusher Chris Johnson.
"It's very, very tough for Stafon," said Fisher, who spoke only in generalities about the injury.
"With what he's been able to overcome, he's a special young man," Fisher said.
About the only time that new Seahawks coach Pete Carroll wasn't giddy in his Seattle debut came when he zipped across the field in front of the Titans' bench to express concern for Johnson, whom he tutored at USC.
"I told him I loved him, and no one can get tougher or stronger than he is," Carroll said. "I was so sorry to see that. This guy, what he's undergone to get here, so much pressure physically and emotionally, and to have a serious injury. ... If anybody can get back, he can. He's an absolute warrior."
Johnson was thankful for his teammates and ex-coach's words.
"I appreciate the love and support," he said. "I am just a regular guy trying to make it like everybody else. I'm just going to try and get back as soon as I can."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Texans running back, Ben Tate, suffers severe ankle injury

Kubiak: RB Tate will need surgery for ankle injury
Aug-15-10 6:50pm
From:


Houston Texans rookie running back Ben Tate will need surgery after suffering a severe ankle injury in Saturday's preseason opener in Arizona.
The 5-foot-11, 211-pound Tate was hurt in the third quarter of the Texans' 19-16 loss to the Cardinals. Tate, the Texans' second-round draft pick out of Auburn, had only two carries for 7 yards before he was carted off the field.
Coach Gary Kubiak said Sunday that the injury is "pretty severe," and that Tate will likely have surgery on Tuesday or Wednesday.
"It doesn't look good," Kubiak said. "That's the best I can describe it for now."
Houston plays its second preseason game in New Orleans on Saturday.
Tate's injury drops him out of a crowded competition at running back. Arian Foster started Saturday's game, and had four rushes for 31 yards.
Steve Slaton is Foster's main challenger after his 2009 season was cut short by a neck injury. He ran 10 times for 22 yards in Arizona, but fumbled on the goal line. Slaton had seven fumbles last season.
"It's tough, because that's what held us back and him back last year," Kubiak said. "To have it happen in the first preseason game, it's obviously disappointing. If it's going to happen, I'm sure glad it happened there, and not three weeks from now. But it's something that's got to get corrected for us to be successful."
Chris Henry, also in the mix for the running back job, had two carries for 6 yards and caught a pass for a 14-yard gain. Kubiak said Henry will move up the depth chart with Tate injured. Henry is also playing special teams.
"We're trying to get him a little more settled, but he's very aggressive," Kubiak said. "He showed up for (special teams coach) Joe (Marciano) and he will get more time at the back position, as we move forward with Tate being out. So we'll see, he did some good things."
Kubiak closely watched backup quarterback Dan Orlovsky, who completed 12 of 21 passes for 129 yards in two quarters.
The Texans signed Orlovsky as a free agent in March 2009. He was inactive for all 16 games last season, but has moved into the backup role behind Matt Schaub.
Kubiak liked what he saw from Orlovsky in Arizona.
"He was steady," Kubiak said. "Since he's been here with me, I thought it was his best outing in the preseason. He protected the ball, he moved his group, he had two big, long drives.
"He could still play better, and I think he will," Kubiak said. "It's important that Dan continues to show this team that he's taking steps forward and he took one last night."
The Texans advanced inside the Cardinals 20-yard line four times in the game, and came away with only three field goals. Their lone touchdown came on Schaub's 44-yard pass to Andre Johnson in the first quarter.
"We've got to do something better down there, we were 0 for 4," Kubiak said. "We just didn't finish down there. We didn't finish plays. We've talked about trying to run the ball better. It's a point of emphasis, and we'll go back to work on that."
The Texans' starting offense and defense looked impressive in the first quarter, building a 10-0 lead.
Schaub completed 5 of 6 passes for 78 yards and Johnson caught three passes.
Defensive end Mario Williams, slowed by a hip injury early in training camp, had two sacks, linebacker Brian Cushing forced a fumble and safety Bernard Pollard delivered a crunching hit on Arizona running back Tim Hightower before Kubiak called on his backups.
The Cardinals rallied from a 16-0 deficit to win in the fourth quarter, but Kubiak was encouraged by how well his first unit played.
"We've got to keep it in perspective," Kubiak said. "Our first group felt really good about themselves when they walked off the field. That's important, and that's all they got to play. That's not their fault they didn't play four quarters, that's on me."
Kubiak said receiver Andre Davis (bruised tailbone) and fullback Jack Corcoran (shoulder) had the only other significant injuries in the game.