Platelet-rich plasma

A concentrate of the patient's own platelets, prepared by spinning a blood sample, injected into a joint or tendon in the hope of stimulating healing. For thumb-base arthritis a single injection did no better than a saline placebo at six months in a double-blind randomised trial, and pooled trials show no advantage over corticosteroid.

Related terms

• Treatment

  Corticosteroid injection

  Injection of a steroid medicine into or around an inflamed or thickened structure — a tendon sheath, a joint, or a raised scar — to reduce swelling and pain. Used for trigger finger and carpal tunnel syndrome, and to flatten hypertrophic scars and keloids.

Articles mentioning this term

1. Patient information · 26 September 2026

   Thumb-base arthritis

   Thumb-base (CMC) arthritis: symptoms, splints, exercises, injections, and how trapeziectomy compares with joint replacement in recovery, strength and risk.

← Back to glossary