Summary
In part two, Dr. TJ Williams shares his own PRP success story - healing a torn ligament in his wrist that had failed to respond to other therapies, confirmed by MRI showing the ligament regenerated after PRP injection. Dr. Harshfield explains advancements in PRP preparation including the two-spin technique that produces pure, non-red PRP with less post-injection pain. The episode covers the cost advantage of PRP over surgery (a knee replacement costs $40,000-60,000 versus PRP at a fraction of that), age considerations for candidacy, and Dr. Harshfield's six-step regenerative medicine protocol that includes primary care, physical therapy, functional medicine, imaging, the PRP injection itself, and ongoing rehabilitation. They emphasize that PRP is one part of a holistic approach, not a standalone cure.
Key Points
- Dr. TJ Williams healed a torn wrist ligament with PRP after other therapies failed - confirmed by MRI showing regeneration
- Modern two-spin PRP preparation removes all red blood cells, reducing pain and improving purity
- PRP costs a fraction of surgical alternatives - knee replacement runs $40,000-60,000
- PRP can benefit patients of all ages, including young athletes with sports injuries
- Early PRP treatment after injury may help prevent arthritis later in life
- Six-step regenerative protocol: primary care, PT/chiropractic, functional medicine, imaging, PRP injection, rehabilitation
- The injection is just one component - nutrition, lifestyle, and rehabilitation are equally important
- PRP has multi-system effects: treating one joint can sometimes improve symptoms elsewhere
Key Moments
Dr. TJ's torn wrist ligament healed with PRP confirmed by MRI
Dr. TJ Williams shares his personal PRP success story. After tearing a ligament in his wrist that failed to respond to other therapies, PRP injection resulted in visible ligament regeneration confirmed by follow-up MRI imaging.
"Because you and I were so interested in it, and to see the stability clinically he would demonstrate, and then take the MR image and see how you regenerated that ligament, that had to be powerful for you too, though. It was extremely reassuring to know that my body could actually heal itself without having to have surgery. It was mind-blowing."
Modern two-spin PRP is clear, not red, and less painful
Dr. Harshfield explains how PRP preparation has improved. The first gentle spin separates red cells, and the second harder spin concentrates the platelets into a clear, olive oil-looking product with no red blood cells, which is less painful to inject and just as effective.
"at the top, which also has a lot of growth factors and important things that we need. And that's how we make PRP, and it's not red, and so it's not as painful, and it's just as effective. Yeah, it's a pretty amazing device. I was very impressed watching this. I've seen it bunches and bunches of times."
PRP costs a fraction of surgical alternatives like knee replacement
The episode compares the cost of PRP therapy to surgical options. A knee replacement runs $40,000-60,000, while PRP treatment costs significantly less. They argue that the regenerative approach also preserves the body's natural structures rather than replacing them.
"Dr. Harshfield, last time we were on the air, we talked about cellular regenerative medicine. We talked about what it is, what it means to be an interventional radiologist, and we talked about platelet-rich plasma, or PRP. We talked about what it is and who it can help and why someone would go have that type of therapy done."
