Evaluating the efficacy of precise platelet-rich plasma injection in grade II meniscus tears

OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the efficacy of precise platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection, guided by arthroscopy, in patients with grade II meniscus tears. METHODS: The study protocol was reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of AJA University of Medical Sciences (Code: IR.AJAUMS.REC.1399.258). This study has also been approved by Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT) with the code of: IRCT20200217046523N18. In this study, 90 patients with grade II meniscus tears, randomly assigning them to either a PRP injection group (n=45) or a conservative treatment control group (n=45) were enrolled. All patients included in the study had anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears and underwent arthroscopic ACL reconstruction. PRP was prepared using a standardized protocol, and injection was performed under arthroscopic guidance using a specialized cannulated loop navigator. Outcomes were assessed using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evaluation at baseline, 6, and 12 months post-intervention, and clinical evaluations at the same time points. RESULTS: While the PRP group showed a trend towards improved meniscus tear healing compared to the control group at 6 months (P=0.0552), this difference was not statistically significant at either 6 or 12 months. Similarly, clinical scores showed slight improvements in the PRP group over time, but these differences were not statistically significant compared to baseline or the control group. CONCLUSION: This study did not demonstrate statistically significant superior outcomes with precise arthroscopically-guided PRP injection as a standalone treatment for grade II meniscus tears compared to conservative management at 6 and 12-month follow-up. Further research with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods is needed to definitively assess the role of PRP in the management of grade II meniscus tears.