Mesenchymal stem cells - a promising perspective in the orofacial cleft surgery

Autologous bone grafts provide the golden standard for closure of oronasal fistulas in the cleft palate. Augmentation may be performed also by homografts and various xenogenic or alloplastic materials to prevent morbidity at the donor site but they may cause many problems (transmission of infections, immune response etc.). All the mentioned approaches also often reveal recurrences of the fistulas and prolong suffering of the cleft patients. Combination of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and so called "platelet gel" seems to be a perspective method in this way. The platelet gel contains hydroxyapatite particles mixed with platelet rich plasma coagulated under effect of the calcium ions. The MSCs from the pelvic bone marrow aspirate are cultivated on a scaffold (collagen membrane) for 3-4 weeks before placement into the cleft defect. The method provides promising results in the alveolar clefts. Authors document a successful case of the secondary surgery in 25-year-old man with the unilateral complete cleft (Fig. 5, Ref. 10).