Treatment
ACP and PRP treatment using your own blood
ACP and PRP involve processing and injecting components of your own blood. Whether this is appropriate for your joint or tendon symptoms needs individual assessment. Here you can find information about benefits, limitations, risks and costs, without promises of a cure.
MethodA preparation made from your own blood
DecisionWeighing benefits and limitations
CostsClarify your individual circumstances first
Open individual sections or all the details on this page.
Understanding
A closer look
You have already tried a number of approaches for joint or tendon symptoms and would like to understand whether treatment using your own blood might help. You may have been advised to consider ACP or PRP. Or you may have read about them and wonder whether to expect less pain, greater tolerance of activity or even new cartilage.
ACP and PRP are methods in which components of your own blood are processed and then injected. They make use of substances produced by the body, including signalling molecules that can influence inflammation. Whether this treatment is right for you depends on your condition, previous treatments and the scientific evidence for that particular use.
What treatment aims to achieve
If your knee makes longer walks difficult or a tendon cannot tolerate certain activities, your priority is usually a practical improvement. You want to be able to plan more confidently what you can do in everyday life or sport. An additional treatment should therefore have a clear, realistic goal.
Depending on the condition, PRP aims to relieve symptoms and improve function. However, this does not amount to a promise that damaged tissue will be fully restored. Before deciding, you should understand what improvement seems plausible and how its actual benefit will be assessed.
What PRP and ACP mean
PRP stands for “platelet-rich plasma”. A blood sample is taken and processed to obtain a component with an increased concentration of platelets. These platelets contain substances, including signalling molecules, involved in biological healing and inflammatory processes.
ACP stands for “autologous conditioned plasma” and describes a particular way of preparing plasma from your own blood. Not all PRP preparations have the same composition. They differ, for example, in platelet count and the other cells they contain. Results from one study therefore cannot automatically be applied to every product and treatment schedule.
The biological rationale explains why the method is being studied. Whether it actually improves symptoms in a particular condition must be assessed in clinical trials. A plausible mechanism alone does not establish a benefit for patients.
One aim of treatment is to have a beneficial influence on inflammation at the treatment site. The actual effect also depends on the preparation and the affected tissue. We therefore discuss what is known for your situation and what cannot be reliably predicted.
When treatment may be worth considering
We first assess with you which structure is likely to be causing your symptoms, how advanced the condition is and which treatments you have already tried. Orthobiological treatment covers different joint and tendon conditions; these must not be treated as medically equivalent.
For knee osteoarthritis, PRP is discussed particularly for mild to moderate changes. Expectations need to be more cautious in very advanced disease. However, the stage of the condition is only one part of the decision and cannot reliably predict your individual response. For tendon conditions, we need to consider the particular tendon, the type of damage and the course of the condition separately.
ACP and PRP are among the treatments we offer. We discuss with you whether there is a sound reason to use them for your symptoms, including the available alternatives.
Benefits and limitations
What studies show and what remains uncertain
Research into PRP for knee osteoarthritis does not present a consistent picture. A 2025 meta-analysis of randomised trials reports average improvements in pain and function compared with placebo. By contrast, a large, carefully blinded individual trial, the RESTORE trial, found no significant benefit after one year in its main outcomes of pain and cartilage volume. The stage of osteoarthritis also matters when selecting treatment: a European expert consensus considers PRP an option after insufficiently effective non-surgical treatment, more for mild to moderate osteoarthritis than for very advanced changes. However, research does not consistently establish that people with early-stage disease reliably benefit. The RESTORE trial also studied mild to moderate osteoarthritis.
Symptom relief after PRP may be temporary; osteoarthritis may still be present. If you initially experienced noticeable improvement and symptoms later increase again, we assess together whether further treatment would be appropriate for you. We consider the previous benefit, how long improvement lasted, possible risks and other treatment options. Whether you will benefit again cannot be reliably predicted in advance.
Differences in preparations, patient groups and treatment schedules make it difficult to apply results to an individual. For your decision, this means that benefit is possible, but its size and duration cannot be reliably predicted for you. Reliable restoration of joint cartilage or permanent avoidance of surgery cannot be promised.
This uncertainty should be discussed explicitly before treatment. It is particularly relevant if you are paying yourself and weighing up several options.
Alternatives to consider alongside treatment
For knee osteoarthritis, tailored exercise therapy and strengthening the muscles that support the joint are important parts of treatment. Depending on your situation, aids, medicines or other measures may be added. If you are overweight, achievable weight loss tailored to you can reduce the load on the joint.
For tendon symptoms, a diagnosis and an appropriate gradual increase in activity also play an important part. An injection should not quietly displace these foundations. Discuss what can be expected with and without PRP, and which other options make medical sense. Deciding against an additional injection can also be a well-founded choice.
Procedure and aftercare
How treatment generally works
We first discuss the reason for treatment, possible risks and alternatives. A blood sample is then taken and processed using the planned method. The preparation is injected at the agreed treatment site under hygienic conditions during the same appointment.
The precise procedure depends on the condition and system used. This includes whether imaging guidance is needed, the possible number of treatments and the intervals between them. These details are agreed for your treatment. A standard course described online is therefore not a personal treatment recommendation.
Before the first appointment, you should know what activity will be possible afterwards and how improvement can be assessed. If further treatments are planned, it should also be clear when the plan would need reviewing.
If a medicine is administered by injection at our practice as part of your treatment, you stay with us for observation for at least 30 minutes afterwards. Please allow for this time. Depending on how you feel, longer observation may be needed; when you can leave the practice and drive again is decided individually.
What matters after the injection
Recommended activity depends on the tissue treated and your starting point. Ask for specific guidance for everyday life, work and sport. Gradually increasing activity may be part of the plan; general rules do not suit every joint or tendon treatment.
Your feedback matters at follow-up. What has become easier, what is unchanged, and have any new symptoms appeared? If there is no benefit, further treatment should be reconsidered. Having had a first treatment does not automatically mean it should be repeated.
The next appropriate step
If you would like us to assess whether ACP or PRP may suit your symptoms, describe your diagnosis and previous treatments under “Appointments & enquiries”, as far as you know them. If you already have a doctor's recommendation, please mention it too.
The next decision should make sense to you: what would the goal be, what uncertainty remains, and what commitment are you willing to make? Informed consent requires answers to these questions.
If we have agreed further injections after your first treatment, you can select the authorised follow-up appointments through the personal booking access on our website that we discussed with you. Please use this access only for the treatment and intervals we agreed together during your consultation. If you have new symptoms or an unexpected reaction, speak to us before another treatment.
What matters for your decision
Important risks and reasons not to have treatment
An injection using material from your own body can still have unwanted effects. Temporary pain, swelling, bruising and irritation in the treated area are possible. Infection is a rare but important complication; other structures can be injured depending on the injection site.
An acute infection, certain blood or clotting disorders and medicines can affect suitability. Please tell us about your conditions and all your medicines, particularly blood-thinning medicines. Your treating doctor decides whether any adjustment is necessary and appropriate. Do not stop medicines on your own.
Severe and increasing pain, marked redness, warmth, night sweats or fever after a joint injection require prompt medical assessment. Seek medical attention directly for these symptoms and do not wait for a later follow-up appointment.
Clinicians and costs at OrthoCoast
At OrthoCoast, ACP and PRP treatments are performed by Priv. Doz. Dr. med. habil. Richard Kasch, Dr. med. Christoph Jährling and Björn Weidemann. The medical consultation establishes whether the method may be suitable for your situation.
Before deciding, you need a clear description of the planned services and their costs. Whether an insurer reimburses anything depends on your individual policy and the relevant conditions. No guarantee of reimbursement can be inferred here. It should also be clear whether the cost information covers only the injection or also the examination, preparation and follow-up assessment.
If you have German statutory health insurance and pay yourself for a service your insurer does not cover, we provide a cost estimate in advance. We explain the scope of the service and the expected costs. We only provide the service once you have confirmed the self-funding agreement in writing. An ordinary appointment enquiry is not consent to additional chargeable services.
Our doctors in this specialty
Priv. Doz. Dr. med. habil.Richard Kasch
Specialist in orthopaedics and trauma surgery
View profile
Dr. med.Christoph Jährling
Specialist in orthopaedics and trauma surgery
DVO-certified osteologist
View profile
Björn Weidemann
Specialist in orthopaedics and trauma surgery
DVO-certified osteologist
View profileYou can discuss with these doctors whether the treatment may be suitable for your concern. Your goals, questions and expectations are part of that discussion.
Frequently asked questions
Can ACP or PRP grow new cartilage?
There is no reliable clinical evidence that the treatment restores cartilage lost through osteoarthritis. Any improvement in pain or function is a separate matter. We therefore cannot describe cartilage regeneration as an established treatment outcome.
Are ACP and PRP exactly the same?
The terms overlap but do not always describe identical preparations. ACP is a particular method of preparing plasma. Composition and processing can differ, so the relevant research evidence must also be considered separately.
How soon will I notice an effect, and how long will it last?
This cannot be reliably predicted for an individual. Some people report improvement; others do not experience enough benefit. Discuss with us beforehand which changes will be assessed and when a follow-up review would be useful.
How many injections are needed?
There is no single number that applies to every condition and preparation. Planning depends on the reason for treatment and the specific approach. It should be explained before treatment starts and reviewed if there is no benefit or unwanted effects occur.
Is treatment risk-free because it uses my own blood?
No. Using material from your own body does not remove the risks of taking blood and giving an injection. These include bruising, irritation and infection. A doctor discusses your individual risks with you beforehand.
Can I book treatment directly if it has been recommended to me?
If we have already planned the treatment with you during a consultation and enabled the appropriate booking access, you can use it to book the agreed appointments. A general recommendation or one from another provider does not by itself enable this access. If you do not yet have personal access, we first discuss the recommendation and next steps with you.
Can I book a follow-up injection after the first treatment?
Yes. For the continuation already agreed with your doctor, use the personal booking route explained during your consultation. It applies to the agreed course of treatment. Please look out for your appointment confirmation by email. If anything is unclear or your condition has changed, contact us before the next treatment.
Your next step
