ABSTRACT
Rotator cuff injury is one of the common injuries of the shoulder joint. The tendon-bone interface is the special organizational structure of the multi-layer structure of bone, fibrocartilage and tendon. Further, it has stress concentration point. Thus, rotator cuff injury is often difficult to heal spontaneously once injuries and it has a higher re-tear rate after surgical intervention. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is obtained by concentrating autologous whole blood. Its platelet concentration is higher than the baseline level of whole blood. It also contains various growth factors and other blood components. At present, it has been widely used in treating orthopedics, skin and oral disorders. In recent years, the application of PRP in rotator cuff injury has attracted attention. PRP can assist the treatment of rotator cuff injury in regulating inflammation, angiogenesis, matrix synthesis and tissue remodeling. The use of PRP after rotator cuff repair can improve the postoperative shoulder joint function score, relieve postoperative pain in the short term, and effectively reduce the rotator cuff re-tear rate. However, the efficacy of PRP in treating rotator cuff injuries is affected by many factors, such as the type of PRP, the severity of rotator cuff tear, and different using approaches. Currently, we focus on PRP in the treatment of rotator cuff injury, aiming to systematically explain the differences among different studies and reveal the differences in the efficacy of PRP with varied components and different forms of administration. Moreover, we want to provide a reference for the proper and rational use of PRP in the treatment of various rotator cuff injuries. Meanwhile, the present review could provide a basis for future researches in the application of PRP for rotator cuff injury.