Educational guide
A plain-language guide to platelet-rich plasma: what it is, how it is prepared at the point of care, and the choices that separate one preparation from another. Written to inform, not to diagnose or recommend a treatment.
Platelet-rich plasma, or PRP, is a preparation made from a patient's own blood. A sample is drawn and processed to separate and concentrate the platelets into a small volume of plasma. Because it is made from the patient and returned to the same patient, PRP is described as an autologous preparation. Platelets carry growth factors, which is why platelet concentration is the number most preparations are measured by.
PRP is prepared with a 510(k)-cleared blood-processing device. That clearance covers the device that processes the blood. It is not a clearance of the prepared PRP to treat any specific condition, and nothing on this page is a claim of clinical efficacy of the prepared biologic.
The core idea of PRP is concentration: taking the platelets from a larger blood draw and delivering them in a smaller final volume. Whole blood contains a baseline platelet count; a concentrating system raises the platelets per milliliter above that baseline.
General PRP-class literature, labeled here as class literature and not as any single device's outcome data, often references a working target on the order of roughly one billion platelets per milliliter, or a multiple of baseline, as a concentration many clinicians aim for. Treat that as a widely cited class figure, not a promise about a specific result. The Emcyte systems report device specifications such as up to about 9 billion platelets in a 7 mL dose for the GS60 configuration, which is a manufacturer-reported device spec, not an efficacy claim.
Preparation methods differ mainly in how many times the sample is spun in a centrifuge. A single-spin protocol separates the blood into layers once and draws off the platelet-containing fraction. It is faster and simpler and is a common starting point.
A double-spin protocol adds a second spin that further concentrates the platelets into a smaller final volume, which is how higher concentrations are reached. The trade-off is an extra step and a little more time. Many systems offer both so a practice can start single spin and add the double-spin option as its protocol matures.
Blood also contains white blood cells, or leukocytes, and preparations differ in how many of them end up in the final concentrate. A leukocyte-rich preparation keeps more white cells; a leukocyte-poor preparation removes more of them. Systems that let you select a neutrophil-rich or neutrophil-poor concentrate give the clinician that control.
In general PRP-class literature, again labeled as class literature, leukocyte-poor preparations are often discussed for intra-articular use and leukocyte-rich preparations for tendon and soft-tissue settings. Which is appropriate is a clinical judgment for the treating clinician, not a recommendation from this page.
A closed system processes the blood inside a single sealed device, so the sample is not exposed to open air between the draw and the final preparation. An open system involves transferring blood between separate tubes or containers during processing. Closed, single-device processing is generally preferred for keeping handling steps and exposure to a minimum. The Emcyte systems are closed single-device systems.
Point of care means the preparation is made in the clinic, during the visit, rather than sent to an outside lab and returned later. The blood is drawn, processed on site in minutes, and prepared for use in the same appointment. Point-of-care processing is why the timing below is measured in minutes rather than days, and why the whole workflow fits inside a single patient visit.
The workflow is short and repeatable. Timing is approximate and varies with the system, the kit size, and whether a single or double spin is used.
Start to injectable, a straightforward preparation is commonly under about 10 minutes of processing time, which is why point-of-care PRP fits inside a normal appointment. An optional chairside analyzer can compare the baseline sample to the final preparation so the team can verify and document the dose.
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Emcyte's instructions for use define the labeled indication for the PurePRP Supraphysiologic Concentrating System as follows, quoted verbatim:
"The PurePRP® Supraphysiologic Concentrating System is designed to be used for the safe and rapid preparation of autologous platelet rich plasma (PRP) from a small sample of blood at the patient's point of care. The PRP is mixed with autograft and allograft bone prior to application to an orthopedic site to improve bone graft handling characteristics."
The same document states: "The PRP prepared by this device has not been evaluated for any clinical indications." It also states that the safety and effectiveness of the device for in vivo indications such as bone healing and hemostasis have not been established, and that the PRP prepared by the device is not indicated for delivery to the patient's circulatory system.
Any application other than the labeled indication falls outside it. That is not unusual in this field, and it is not something PRP Direct can authorize, recommend, or direct. It rests on the independent clinical judgment of a licensed physician, exercised under their own license and their own informed-consent process. We sell equipment and publish what the manufacturer publishes about it. We do not advise on clinical application.
PRP Direct is a distributor of Emcyte point-of-care blood-processing devices. Emcyte states these systems are 510(k)-cleared as blood-processing devices; clearance covers how a device processes blood, it is not a clearance of the prepared PRP to treat any condition, and no PRP therapy is FDA-approved for a specific indication. Manufacturer specifications are reproduced as the manufacturer's statements, have not been independently verified by PRP Direct, and are not claims of clinical efficacy. Manufacturers revise specifications without notice, and the instructions for use packaged with your kit supersede anything published here. Nothing on this page is dosing, protocol, clinical, or medical advice, and nothing here should be relied upon in making a clinical decision. Product names and trademarks belong to their respective owners.