Background: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of musculoskeletal disability worldwide. Early-stage disease, particularly when associated with traumatic structural injuries, presents a complex management challenge. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has emerged as an adjunct biological therapy for early OA, with evidence suggesting potential benefits in pain reduction and functional improvement. Case Description: A 39-year-old male with a one-year history of bilateral knee pain presented following an acute twisting injury. Radiographic and MRI evaluation revealed KellgrenLawrence Grade 2 bilateral knee OA, a right medial femoral condyle subchondral fracture, left lateral meniscal degeneration, bilateral cruciate ligament sprain, and Grade 3 chondromalacia patella. Intervention: The patient underwent 3 sessions of image-guided intra-articular leukocyte-poor PRP injections in both knees, along with targeted periarticular leukocyte-rich PRP administration to involved structures, combined with viscosupplementation and a structured physiotherapy programme. Outcome: Visual analogue scale (VAS) scores improved from 9 at baseline to 2 at 12 weeks. Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) scores (0100 scale) decreased from 72 to 32 over the same period, indicating clinically meaningful functional improvement. Conclusion: PRP therapy, combined with viscosupplementation and rehabilitation, was associated with progressive improvement in pain and function in this patient with early traumatic knee OA and associated structural injuries. These findings are observational and should be interpreted with caution. Further well-designed controlled studies are required to clarify the role of PRP in such patients.
Pawar et al. (Sun,) studied this question.
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