Use of platelet-rich plasma in periodontal surgery--a prospective randomised double blind clinical trial

The aim of this prospective controlled randomized clinical trial was to evaluate the additional effect of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in attachment gain. Twenty-two patients showing contralateral intrabony defects were included. Defects were randomized to beta-TCP (Cerasorb) in combination with PRP (test) or alone (control). Probing pocket depth (PPD), clinical attachment level (CAL), and relative AL (RAL) were assessed at the first, initial, re-evaluation (or basis examinations) and 6 months after surgery. Defect dimensions were recorded at baseline surgery (day 0) and during re-entry surgery (after 6 months), with vertical depth of the defect as primary outcome variable. An early healing index (EHI) was assessed 3 days, 1, 2 and 4 weeks after surgery. Both treatments led to clinical improvements. The median reduction of open vertical depth was 1.9 mm (interquartile intervals, 0.75 and 2.5 mm) at test sites, compared with 2.6 mm (1.8 and 3.5 mm) at control sites (p = 0.19, Wilcoxon). The median reductions of PPD and CAL at the four sites in close proximity to the defect in the interproximal area at test sites were 0.8 and 0.28 mm, and at control sites 0.4 and 0.13 mm, respectively. The EHI showed a reduction from grade 3 after 3 days to grade 1 after 4 weeks. PRP did not improve the results achieved with beta-TCP in the treatment of intrabony defects.