We wanted to use today's post to highlight two treatment options for osteoarthritis and soft tissue injuries that are now available at Legacy Equine. Both of these options are processed in our on-site laboratory and are made using your horse's own blood cells. This means that there is lower risk of reactions to these products.
ACP (Autologous Condition Plasma)
Similar to products marketed at 'Platelet Rich Plasma', this double-syringe device developed by Arthrex Systems concentrates the healing powers of platelets into a small volume of plasma. Platelets are blood cells normally found moving through the body that help form clots and heal sites of damage. By concentrating the platelets and injecting them into a damaged tendon we can cause the platelets to release growth factors, which can induce a healing response in that area. An advantage to the ACP system over traditional platelet rich plasma is the ease of processing. This system only requires 15mL of blood to produce one treatment dose and the product can be ready in about 30 minutes. ACP has had the most proven success when used in soft tissue injuries, such as tendons and ligaments. Other potential uses include osteoarthritis, stifle damage, and used topically on chronic non-healing wounds.
IRAP II (Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist Protein)
Also manufactured by Arthrex, this system was developed to manage the pain and discomfort associated with osteoarthritis and help slow the progression of cartilage destruction. To produce this product roughly 50mL of your horse's blood is placed into a conical tube and incubated with special coated glass beads for 18-24 hours. The coating on the beads triggers certain blood cells, called monocytes, to produce the IRAP proteins. These specialized proteins bind to receptors within the joint and block the action of Interleukin-1, which is the major inciting factor for joint inflammation and pain. Although it can take a full 24 hours to process this product, we will normally harvest multiple doses from one collection. These additional doses can be frozen and used up to a year later.
If you have any other questions about these products feel free to post in the comments or email us at legacyequinehospital@gmail.com.
If you have a horse that you think may be a good candidate for one of these therapies please call us at 918-827-7300 to schedule an appointment.
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