Long-term follow-up of platelet-rich plasma injections for refractory lateral epicondylitis

Background: Lateral epicondylitis (LE)(1) affects between 1 and 3% of the population. Recently, platelet-rich plasma (PRP)(2) has gained popularity. Aim: Assess the long-term outcomes of PRP for patients with refractory LE. Methods: We assessed 31 patients who had failed conservative management using the Oxford Elbow Score (OES).(3) Results: Mean follow-up: 5.2 years (range 4.2-6.1 years). 87.1% exhibited minimum clinically important difference (MCID)(4 )in pain scores between pre-op and long-term. 90.3% displayed MCID in function and psycho- social domains. Two patients had a repeat injection and six underwent open release. Discussion: PRP is successful in treating refractory LE in most patients and avoiding surgery.