Platelet-Rich Plasma · Ultrasound-guided · Glastonbury, CT

PRP Therapy: Custom Concentrate

The most studied orthobiologic treatment in orthopedics, performed here since 2007 — using a customized High-Concentrate PRP platelet count from your own blood and placed under live ultrasound into the tissue that is actually failing.

Performed by Dr. Tortland personallyUltrasound-guidedAutologous tissue only

Written and clinically reviewed by

Paul D. Tortland, DO, FAOASM

Board certified in Sports Medicine, Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine and Family Practice · Registered in Musculoskeletal Ultrasound (RMSK) · the first physician in the world certified in regenerative medicine by the American Academy and Board of Regenerative Medicine · performing these procedures since 2007. Full credentials

Last clinically reviewed

August 2026

Quick answer

PRP therapy (platelet-rich plasma) is an injection of your own concentrated platelets into an injured tendon, ligament or joint to stimulate repair. Blood is drawn, spun in a centrifuge to concentrate platelets and their growth factors, and injected under ultrasound guidance the same visit. It takes about 60-90 minutes, uses local anesthetic only, and is most effective for mild to moderate osteoarthritis, partial tears, and chronic tendinopathy.

Time in office

About 60 minutes

Anesthesia

Local only — no sedation

Typical course

1 to 3 injections

Return to work

Usually next day

First results

Weeks 4 to 8

Guidance

Live ultrasound and / or fluoroscopic guidance, every injection

Source material

Your own blood - using a customized High-Concentrate platelet count for age & injury

Insurance

Not covered; but HSA / FSA applicable

What PRP is Conditions treated The procedure Candidacy PRP vs alternatives FAQ

Definition

What is PRP therapy?

PRP is your own platelets, concentrated and delivered into damaged tissue.

Platelets are best known for clotting, but they also carry the growth factors that direct tissue repair. Concentrating them and placing them precisely inside a degenerated tendon or an arthritic joint restarts a repair sequence that stalled.

Not all PRP is the same. Platelet dose, white cell content, whether the preparation is leukocyte-rich or leukocyte-poor, and above all whether the needle actually reached the target determine the result. Studies that ignore these variables are why the literature looks contradictory to patients reading it online.

Indications

What does PRP treat?

PRP is used most often for degenerative tendon disease and for mild to moderate joint arthritis.

Knee osteoarthritisHip osteoarthritisShoulder osteoarthritisRotator cuff tendinopathyPartial rotator cuff tearsTennis elbowGolfer’s elbowAchilles tendinopathyPatellar tendinopathyPlantar fasciitisGluteal tendinopathyHamstring injuryPartial ligament tearsSacroiliac joint painFacet joint painThumb and hand arthritis

Step by step

How the PRP procedure works: the Dr. Tortland Method:

The Dr. Tortland difference: High-Concentrate PRP, Customized Platelet Count, Prescise Ultrasound guidance = Better Outcomes.

Diagnostic ultrasound first

Before anything is injected, the joint or tendon is examined dynamically on ultrasound so the treatment target is confirmed rather than assumed. This is a separate visit from treatment.

Blood draw - High Volume

Whereas most facilities only draw 30-60mL of blood, Dr. Tortland uses a tailored High-Concentrate blood draw, 60 to 250+mL depending on the target. Volume is chosen for the condition being treated, the patient's age, and platelet count.

Centrifugation- Double Spin

Your blood is spun in office with a double-spin protocol to separate and concentrate the platelet fraction. Preparation takes 20-30 minutes while you wait in the room.

High Platelet Count & Customization

The patient's blood platelet count is analyzed by a Cell Counter. The PRP platelet concentration is tailored to each patient's injury, age, and baseline platelet count. Dr. Tortland's High-Concentrate process derives an average blood platelet count of at least 12-15x the patient's baseline platelet count, where most standard kits derive only 2-6x baseline platelet count -- not enough to even be considered true PRP.

MSK Ultrasound-guided injection

The area is numbed with local anesthetic, then the needle is advanced under live MSK ultrasound and / or fluoroscopic guidance into the exact structure(s) at fault. You can watch the screen as it happens.

Recovery instructions

You leave with a written loading schedule. Expect two to five days of soreness — that inflammatory response is the treatment working. No anti-inflammatories for two weeks.

Follow-up and re-evaluate

Follow-up at six to ten weeks with repeat ultrasound and / or an updated MRI to compare tissue appearance and patient symptom progression against baseline and decide whether a second PRP procedure adds value.

Candidacy

Who this helps — and who it does not.

Good candidate

Not a candidate

Comparison

PRP compared with the alternatives.

Option

What it does

Duration of benefit

Effect on tissue

OptionCortisone injection

What it doesSuppresses inflammation and pain

Duration of benefitWeeks to a few months

Effect on tissueCan weaken tendon and cartilage with repetition

OptionHyaluronic acid

What it doesAdds lubrication to the joint

Duration of benefitMonths, variable

Effect on tissueNo repair effect on cartilage

OptionPRP

What it doesDelivers growth factors that stimulate repair

Duration of benefitCommonly 12 months or more per course

Effect on tissueAims to improve tissue quality

OptionCellular orthobiologics

What it doesDelivers cells plus signaling proteins

Duration of benefitOften longer in advanced joints

Effect on tissueStronger biologic signal for degenerated joints

OptionSurgery

What it doesRemoves or replaces structure

Duration of benefitLong-term, definitive for the right case

Effect on tissueStructural change with recovery cost

Frequently asked

PRP therapy questions.

Does PRP actually work?

For appropriately selected patients, yes. Multiple randomized trials show PRP outperforming hyaluronic acid and saline for mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis at six and twelve months, and it is well supported in chronic tendinopathy such as tennis elbow and patellar tendinopathy. It is far less effective in end-stage bone-on-bone arthritis and in fully retracted tendon tears.

Is all PRP the same?

No. Concentration counts quite literally. Most clinics use automated commercial bedside kits that spin your blood at one preset speed and yield only about 2 to 3 times your baseline platelet level. Dr. Tortland does not use commercial kits. PRP is custom-formulated in an on-site laboratory to a therapeutic target of 12 to 15 times baseline or higher - tailored to patients' injury, age, and baseline platelet count.

How painful is a PRP injection?

The skin and deeper tissue are numbed with local anesthetic first, and most patients report pressure rather than sharp pain during the injection. Soreness afterward peaks at two to four days and settles within a week.

How long does PRP take to work?

Tendon and ligament cases typically change between weeks four and eight. Joint and cartilage cases usually change between weeks eight and sixteen, with continued improvement for up to a year as tissue remodels.

How many PRP injections will I need?

Most conditions are treated with one to three injections. Tendinopathy often responds to a single well-placed injection; osteoarthritis is commonly treated with a series, then reassessed annually.

Is PRP covered by insurance?

PRP is not currently covered by most United States insurers and is paid out of pocket. Diagnostic evaluation and ultrasound examination are often billable to insurance, and our staff confirms exactly what applies before you commit to anything.

Can I take ibuprofen after PRP?

No. NSAIDs blunt the platelet signaling the treatment depends on. Stop them roughly seven days before the procedure and avoid them for two weeks afterward unless instructed otherwise. Acetaminophen is acceptable.

Is PRP the same as stem cell therapy?

No. PRP contains platelets and growth factors but very few cells. Cellular orthobiologics using bone marrow or adipose tissue deliver cells in addition to signaling proteins, and are used when a stronger biologic signal is required.

Who performs the injection?

Dr. Tortland performs every PRP injection himself under live MSK ultrasound guidance, or fluoroscopic guidance. He performed the first PRP treatments in southern New England in 2007 and was the first physician in the world certified in regenerative medicine.

Sources

References & further reading.

Mulvaney SW, Tortland PD, Shiple B, Curtis K. Regenerative medicine options for chronic musculoskeletal conditions: a review of the literature. Endurance and Sports Medicine. 2018.

Dai WL, et al. Efficacy of platelet-rich plasma versus hyaluronic acid in knee osteoarthritis: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Filardo G, et al. Platelet-rich plasma intra-articular injections for cartilage degeneration and osteoarthritis: evidence and indications.

Mishra AK, et al. Platelet-rich plasma for chronic tennis elbow: randomized controlled trial with two-year follow-up.

Bennell KL, et al. Effect of intra-articular platelet-rich plasma on knee pain and cartilage volume: randomized clinical trial.

Everts P, et al. Platelet-rich plasma: new performance understandings and therapeutic considerations for classification and dosing.

This page is written for patient education and does not constitute medical advice or establish a physician-patient relationship. Treatment decisions require an in-person examination. Orthobiologic procedures are not FDA-approved drug therapies; they are performed as autologous same-day procedures under the practice of medicine. Dr. Tortland reports no financial interest in the products or devices described on this page.

Find out whether PRP fits your joint.

Candidacy for PRP is determined on ultrasound, not over the phone. Bring your imaging and get an honest answer in one visit.

Request a Consultation (877) 836-1551