To investigate the effect of intra articular injection of autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) as an adjuvant surgical treatment on functional recovery in patients with knee cartilage injury.

A retrospective analysis of the clinical data of 106 patients with knee cartilage injury in Xuzhou Mining Group General Hospital (January 2017 to March 2018) was conducted. The patients who received microfracture surgery combined with PRP treatment were assigned in the study group (n=53), while those who received microfracture surgery combined with sodium hyaluronate treatment were assigned in the control group (n=53). The visual analogue scale (VAS), Japanese Orthopaedic Association(JOA) scores, the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) knee joint function scores, inflammatory factor levels, and adverse reactions were compared between the two groups before and in three, six, and nine months after treatment.

The VAS scores of the two groups in three, six, and nine months after treatment were lower than those before treatment, and the study group were lower than the control group (F_time=34.842, F_group=23.766, F _interaction=15.591, all P<0.05). Three, six, and nine months after treatment, the JOA scores in the two groups were higher than those before treatment, and the study group was higher than the control group (F_time=69.734, F_group=44.069, F _interaction=28.318, all P <0.05). Three, six, and nine months of treatment, the HSS scores of the two groups were higher than those before treatment, and the study group was higher than the control group (F_time=61.012, F_group=48.338, F _interaction=25.443, all P <0.05). The levels of serum interleukin (IL) -6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in the study group after treatment were significantly lower than those before the treatment(t=64.233、42.920, both P<0.05), and levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in the study group were lower than the control group (t=12.576, 8.324, both P<0.05). The incidence of adverse reactions in the study group (5.7%) was lower than that in the control group (18.9%)(χ²=4.296, P<0.05).

Intraarticular injection of PRP as an adjunctive surgical treatment for knee cartilage injury can effectively alleviate pain and improve joint function.