Original Research

The In Vivo Impact of Leukocyte Injections on Normal Rat Achilles Tendons: Potential Detriment to Tendon Morphology, Cellularity, and Vascularity

Publish date: October 1, 2018

David E. Komatsu, PhD

Lucas King, MD

Mikhail Gurevich, BS

Benjamin Kahn, BA

James M. Paci, MD

TAKE-HOME POINTS

Injection of leukocytes into healthy rat Achilles tendons increases inflammation.
Injection of leukocytes into healthy rat Achilles tendons does not affect vascularity.
Leukocyte-rich PRP preparations may be contraindicated in settings of acute tendonitis.
Leukocyte-rich PRP preparations may be useful for chronic tendinosis.
The concentration and composition of white blood cells within PRP preparations is variable and needs to be better understood in order to optimize clinical utility of PRP injections.

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