Arthroscopic ankle surgery in patients with rheumatoid arthritis with application of plasma rich in platelet

Abstract

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) acts as a supply of biological stimuli and a call for cells present in the area to stimulate bone regeneration. The PRP and the growth factors that are provided create a stimulus for the bone cells (osteoblasts) favoring the bone healing process. Objective: to describe the use of platelet-rich plasma in these patients.

A longitudinal retrospective study was carried out, from 2015 to 2021. 14 cases of ankle arthrodesis in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis were studied, 9 did not receive PRP, 5 were also treated with PRP. The procedure was performed according to the protocol that we used. We performed 3 injections of PRP (platelet-rich plasma) in the focus (once a week for 3 weeks) with radioscopic or ultrasound control. The age range in the study was 20 to 70 years.

The 9 (64.3%) had an evolution of recovery times from 3 to 5 months, 6 of these patients (66.6%) received reintervention for pain and deformity in neighboring joints 3 years after surgery, thus performing a new arthrodesis in these joints. The 5 patients who received additional treatment with PRP had a 3-month recovery, 2 patients (40%) were re-operated, 1 of these patients was re-operated for joint deformity and poor discharge and the other for pain in neighboring joints.

Ankle arthrodesis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis can be accompanied by treatment with platelet-rich plasma and could generate a faster post-surgical recovery and improvement of neighboring joint symptoms in the short term, but not avoiding reinterventions due to the evolution of said disease.