Glossary
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP)
PRP is plasma with a platelet concentration above whole-blood baseline, produced by centrifuging a patient's own blood. It is autologous, prepared at the point of care, and defined by the protocol used rather than by any single standard.
In practice
The absence of a standard is the central operational fact about PRP. Concentration factor, leukocyte content, and activation state all vary with the protocol, and a product described simply as PRP could be almost anything.
See also
- Platelet concentration factorConcentration factor is how many times the platelet count in the final product exceeds the patient's whole-blood baseline, written for example as 5x.
- Leukocyte-rich PRP (L-PRP)Leukocyte-rich PRP retains the white cells that concentrate alongside platelets in the buffy coat.
- AutologousAutologous means derived from the patient's own body.