Ana Hernández; Veronica Iturriaga; Nicol Velasquez; Javiera Muñoz; Hugo Landaeta; Thomas Bornhardt
Tendinopathies are a common cause of musculoskeletal pain and functional limitation. Platelet concentrates, such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP), have emerged as therapeutic tools for tendon tissue regeneration. However, their specific application in the temporal muscle tendon (TMT) has received little attention. The aim of this article is to review the literature on the use of platelet concentrates in tendinopathies and to contextualize their potential applicability to the TMT based on its morphology, physiology, pathophysiology, and the mechanisms of action of platelet concentrates. Two literature searches were conducted: the first, in PubMed, Scopus, and EMBASE, focused on PRP use in tendinopathies in general; the second, specific to the TMT, was carried out using both open and manual searches to identify as many relevant publications as possible in the same databases and academic books, without year restrictions. A total of 266 articles were identified, of which 13 met the inclusion criteria for PRP and tendinopathies, and 15 addressed the TMT, mainly in relation to its anatomy, morphological variability, and clinical correlations. The available evidence suggests that PRP may be beneficial for TMT injuries, owing to its capacity to promote tissue repair and reduce pain. However, no clinical studies have directly assessed its efficacy in TMT tendinopathies, limiting the ability to establish definitive recommendations. The anatomical features of the TMT, including its depth, bone relationships, and variability of insertion, should be considered when applying therapies such as PRP. Well-designed clinical studies integrating these variables are needed to define effective and safe protocols for the management of TMT tendinopathies.
KEY WORDS: Temporal muscle; Tendinopathy; Facial pain; Platelet-rich plasma; Platelet-rich fibrin.
HERNÁNDEZ, A.; ITURRIAGA, V.; VELASQUEZ, N.; MUÑOZ, J.; LANDAETA, H. & BORNHARDT, T. Tendinitis of the temporalis muscle tendon: Morphological and pathophysiological implications in the management with platelet concentrates - PRP. Int. J. Morphol., 44(1):99-107, 2026.
