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12/08/2025

Donor PRP: A new alternative for treating knee osteoarthritis

Knee osteoarthritis is one of the most common causes of pain, stiffness, and limited movement in adults. This condition can severely impact quality of life, making everyday activities as simple as walking or climbing stairs difficult.

While treatments like autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP)—which uses your own blood to help modulate and repair joint tissue—exist, not all patients respond equally well to this approach. But what if there was an alternative?

A promising and still under-researched option is allogeneic PRP, derived from healthy responder donors. According to a recent study published in the journal Cartilage, this type of treatment may be safe and effective in relieving pain and improving mobility in people with knee osteoarthritis—especially for those who do not benefit from autologous PRP.

What is allogeneic PRP?
Allogeneic PRP is a biological product made from platelet-rich plasma taken from donors who have shown a positive response to treatment. This approach is being investigated as an option for patients whose osteoarthritis does not improve with their own PRP.

Is it safe and effective?
A recent study conducted by the team of orthopedic surgeons and researchers at the Arthroscopic Surgery and Advanced Biological Therapy Unit of MiKS Hospital evaluated the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of allogeneic PRP in patients with knee osteoarthritis. The results suggest that this approach is safe and may provide pain relief and improved function for those who have not responded to autologous PRP.

How is the treatment performed?
The procedure involves injecting allogeneic PRP directly into the affected knee joint. It is usually done on an outpatient basis and does not require hospitalization. It is important that the treatment is administered by trained healthcare professionals.

Why is this important?
Although further research is needed, this development could bring new hope to patients who have exhausted other treatment options. By using plasma from donors, it opens the door to an alternative that could improve quality of life for people suffering from knee osteoarthritis.

You can read the original article published in Cartilage on the use of allogeneic PRP in knee osteoarthritis