Platelet Rich Plasma Proposed to Fight Superbug MRSA

December 12, 2007 - Sarasota, FL. – The rise of a new “superbug” is alarming not just doctors and nurses, but also athletes, parents, teachers and even day care workers. MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), a staph infection that is resistant to antibiotics, has long been a concern in hospitals and nursing homes. But more recently, it has crossed over into the community setting, with outbreaks reported among New York City firefighters, NFL football players and even a high school football team in Pennsylvania.

“Staph infections have been around for years, but MRSA is proving very difficult to treat, says Joseph Greco, Ph.D., PA/C, a hair transplant specialist at Center for Sight in Sarasota. “It’s been described as ‘staph on steroids.’ “

One solution proposed by Dr. Greco and Robert Brandt, CEO of Blood Recovery Systems in Fort Myers, FL., is platelet rich plasma, a super mix of platelets from the patient’s own blood supply. Platelets are the body’s first line of defense after injury and contain growth factors to initiate new cell formation. Platelet rich plasma therapy is an emerging technology that promotes rapid healing and fights infection. It’s been proven effective for surgical procedures, sports-related injuries, dental procedures and chronic non-healing wounds.

Both Dr. Greco and Brandt believe that platelet rich plasma’s healing properties could be used to treat MRSA.

“The human body is a remarkably complex system,” says Dr. Greco. “By harnessing its ability to heal itself and fight infection we can treat many medical problems. Platelet rich plasma is easily prepared, readily available and very effective. It’s also extremely safe with no risk because it is derived directly from the patient’s own blood supply.”

Dr. Greco has been using platelet rich plasma therapy to improve the results of hair transplantation surgery and was recently awarded a research grant from the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery to continue his work in this area.

Blood Recovery Systems works with physicians and hospitals to develop platelet rich plasma solutions customized for each patient. The company has treated more than 20,000 patients.

Platelet rich plasma can be applied as a gel, used as a tissue graft or injected into the body.
Here’s how it works. “We draw blood from the patient, spin it on a centrifuge and separate the platelets,” says Brandt. “Then we create a highly concentrated platelet gel and apply it where needed on the body to fight off infection and promote healing. It’s been extremely successful in promoting healing in everything from plastic surgery to spinal fusion, total joint replacement, chronic non-healing wounds and similar procedures.”

For more information, please contact Center for Sight at 941-480-2137. Center for Sight is the premier, multi-physician vision care and cosmetic facial surgery practice in Southwest Florida with convenient locations in Sarasota, Venice, North Port and Englewood. For more information, go to www.centerforsight.net.