PRP Injections for Joints in Tokyo
Cell therapy (SVF) and platelet-rich plasma for knee, hip and shoulder joints and beyond, plus a free look at your scans first
No surgery — an injection instead of an operation
Own tissue — your blood and adipose tissue
Ultrasound guidance for every injection
Free consultation
and review of your scans
What is regenerative
joint treatment?
Regenerative treatment of the joints relies on material taken from your own body: platelet-rich plasma (PRP) prepared from blood, and the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) obtained from a small sample of adipose tissue. This material is injected into the problem joint to ease pain and inflammation and to support the tissues within it.
The option is aimed at patients with joint pain who wish to avoid or postpone surgery, or who have only been offered a replacement. The chance of a lasting effect is best at an early stage, which the doctor checks on your scans.
No surgery — an injection instead of an operation
Ultrasound guidance for every injection
Free consultation and review of your scans
Joints we treat
We treat large and small joints — which joint, which method and how many injections is decided by the doctor after a scan review
Elbow
Sports strain or overuse pain and worn-down joint surfaces
Hand and wrist joints
Finger and wrist joints that feel stiff and painful
Knee
Cartilage wear, meniscus issues, pain after walking and on stairs
Hip
Early hip osteoarthritis, groin pain, limited rotation
Ankle
Pain and stiffness after sprains and old injuries
Shoulder
Pain on lifting the arm, wear of the joint and nearby tendons
Methods we use
Cell therapy (SVF) from your own adipose tissue
From a small sample of your adipose tissue, the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) is isolated — cells that are involved in tissue repair. This fraction, combined with your plasma, is injected into the affected joint.
It is usually the choice when changes in the joint are more marked and the aim is a longer-lasting effect.
PRP — platelet-rich plasma from your own blood
Platelet- and growth-factor-rich plasma is obtained from a little of your blood and injected into the joint, where it helps calm inflammation and improves the conditions for tissue repair.
It works either as a stand-alone course of injections or alongside SVF.
How the procedure goes: step by step
Consultation and scan review
Whether the procedure is for you is decided after the doctor examines the joint and reviews your X-rays, MRI or ultrasound. Any scans you already have can be sent before your visit.
Blood sample for PRP
We take a small blood sample from a vein. From it, platelet-rich plasma containing growth factors is prepared later on.
The doctor tells you in advance which tests are needed.
Adipose tissue sample
Under local anaesthetic, a small amount of adipose tissue — roughly 30 ml — is removed through a puncture on the abdomen or inner thigh, with no stitches needed.
Processing in a centrifuge
The sample is spun in a centrifuge and separates into layers. The stromal vascular fraction is isolated and mixed with the platelet-rich plasma.
The whole procedure is done in one day.
Injection into the joint
The prepared material is injected directly into the affected joint under ultrasound guidance, which helps place it precisely.
Follow-up
You go without crutches and without a hospital stay; the doctor keeps in contact after the procedure and follows your joint's progress.
Consultation and scan review
Whether the procedure is for you is decided after the doctor examines the joint and reviews your X-rays, MRI or ultrasound. Any scans you already have can be sent before your visit.
Blood sample for PRP
We take a small blood sample from a vein. From it, platelet-rich plasma containing growth factors is prepared later on.
The doctor tells you in advance which tests are needed.
Adipose tissue sample
Under local anaesthetic, a small amount of adipose tissue — roughly 30 ml — is removed through a puncture on the abdomen or inner thigh, with no stitches needed.
Processing in a centrifuge
The sample is spun in a centrifuge and separates into layers. The stromal vascular fraction is isolated and mixed with the platelet-rich plasma.
The whole procedure is done in one day.
Injection into the joint
The prepared material is injected directly into the affected joint under ultrasound guidance, which helps place it precisely.
Follow-up
You go without crutches and without a hospital stay; the doctor keeps in contact after the procedure and follows your joint's progress.
Follow-up visits
Through follow-up visits the doctor monitors the joint and adjusts the plan. As a rule, pain eases over the first month, mobility improves over around three months, and the full effect appears over about six months.
Conditions we treat
A doctor decides whether the treatment suits you after examining you and reviewing your scans
What we work with
Arthritis
Arthrosis
Avascular necrosis
Osteoarthritis
Gonarthrosis (knee osteoarthritis)
Coxarthrosis (hip osteoarthritis)
Meniscus pathology and injury
Rehabilitation after injuries and surgery
Inflammatory joint conditions
Contraindications
Cancer
Pregnancy
Blood clotting disorders
Acute infections, including infection in or near the joint
Flare-up of a serious chronic illness
Cancer
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Serious heart, kidney or liver disease
Temporary contraindications: having a fever, a cold or flu, or inflamed skin over the joint to be treated
Book a consultation
Call or message us —
our coordinator will contact you shortly
and book your consultation
Book a consultation
Call or message us —
our coordinator will contact you shortly
and book your consultation
After the procedure
The puncture sites are covered with small dressings, and most patients go home the same day, returning to normal daily life within a day or two. A little extra aching in the joint during the first week is an expected reaction. Pain generally eases in the first month, mobility and activity improve over about three months, and the full effect develops over around six months. How long the effect lasts differs from person to person — it depends on the stage of the condition, body weight, activity and other factors, and no one can promise a fixed result. For the first weeks, the doctor gives you individual advice on exercise and load.
Why patients choose City Medical Centre
The goal is your own joint kept, not replaced, through treatment without surgery
Your own tissue
Just your blood and your adipose tissue; donor and synthetic materials are not used
No crutches
Punctures, not incisions; local anaesthetic; no prolonged rehabilitation
Second opinion
A doctor will independently assess your X-rays, MRI or reports free of charge once you send them
Support after the procedure
We stay in contact once the procedure is over and follow how the result develops
Joint treatment prices
Cost varies with the joint, the stage of the condition and the method; the doctor names it after the consultation
Service
Price
Book a consultation
Call or message us —
our coordinator will contact you shortly
and book your consultation
Book a consultation
Call or message us —
our coordinator will contact you shortly
and book your consultation
Joint treatment: frequently asked questions
What is the difference between PRP and SVF?
Your blood gives PRP, a platelet-rich plasma, and a small sample of adipose tissue gives SVF, a fraction of cells. Their actions differ, which is why they are often combined for a stronger regenerative effect in the joint.
Is the treatment safe?
Both approaches use tissue from your own body, which makes rejection or an allergic reaction very unlikely. Temporary pain, swelling or bruising may occur, as after any injection, and infection is rare. The risks for your particular case are explained by the doctor at the consultation.
How long does the effect last?
It varies between patients. After PRP the effect commonly lasts from several months to about a year, and after SVF possibly longer. Because duration depends on the stage of the condition and your body, nobody can promise a fixed result.
Who should not have the procedure?
It is not done during pregnancy, in people with cancer, acute infections or blood clotting disorders, or while a serious chronic illness is flaring up. The consultation is where the doctor checks this.
Is non-surgical treatment possible for hip osteoarthritis (coxarthrosis)?
When the condition is at an early stage, injections of PRP or SVF alongside exercise therapy and physiotherapy can ease pain and improve mobility. With a badly damaged joint, replacement may be the realistic option, and the doctor will be honest about this after seeing your scans.
Can avascular necrosis of the hip be treated?
SVF therapy at early stages (1–2) may be considered to support blood flow to the femoral head and push back the need for joint replacement. Later stages generally need surgery.
Why try to avoid joint replacement?
Joint replacement involves major surgery and a long rehabilitation, carries risks such as infection, and the implants may eventually have to be redone. With changes that are early or moderate, trying to preserve your own joint first often makes sense.
Can I get a second opinion on my scans?
Yes — just send whatever X-rays, MRI, CT or medical reports you have. The review by a doctor costs nothing, and you learn whether the procedure could suit you and what else is needed.
How soon can I return to normal life?
Usually within a day or two. There are no crutches and no long rehabilitation; the doctor gives you recommendations on load and exercise for the first weeks.
Does the treatment help with shoulder pain?
Problems of the shoulder joint and rotator cuff are treated with PRP, and more advanced shoulder arthritis may call for SVF. It depends on the cause of your pain, which the doctor has to establish first.
City Medical Centre licences
Other services at our clinic
How SVF and PRP therapy works for Tokyo residents
Joint treatment in Tokyo is built around keeping your own joint. Instead of a long rehabilitation after surgery, you get injections under local anaesthetic, no crutches and no hospital stay, and the doctor stays in touch afterwards.
Follow-up visits help the doctor see how the joint responds and adjust the plan. In Tokyo, you receive recommendations on load and exercise for the first weeks, and the doctor stays in touch after the procedure.
The cost of joint treatment depends on the joint, the stage of the condition and the method, so the price is set at the consultation. The initial consultation and review of your scans are free for patients from Tokyo. Leave your name and phone number, and a coordinator will contact you.
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