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Effects of Allogeneic Platelet-Rich Plasma PRP on the Healing Process of Sectioned Achilles Tendons of Rats: A Methodological Description
Published on: March 19, 2018
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COMPARATIVE STUDY ON USE OF PLATELET-RICH PLASMA ALONE AND IN COMBINATION WITH ALPHA-TRICALCIUM PHOSPHATE CEMENT FOR
Alessandra Deise Sebben1, Gabriela Hoff2, Caroline Peres Klein3
1MSc in Health Sciences. Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Revista Brasileira De Ortopedia
|April 6, 2016
Summary
Alpha-tricalcium phosphate (α-TCP) cement combined with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) showed no significant difference in bone healing compared to PRP alone in rat femurs. However, a potential early bone regeneration effect was observed with the combined biomaterials.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Orthopedic Research
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is widely used to enhance bone healing.
- Alpha-tricalcium phosphate (α-TCP) is a synthetic bone graft substitute known for its osteoconductive properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the osteogenic potential of combining α-TCP cement with PRP.
- To compare the efficacy of α-TCP + PRP versus PRP alone in promoting bone regeneration.
Main Methods:
- Bilateral defects were created in rat femurs and treated with either PRP or α-TCP + PRP.
- Radiographic analysis assessed lesion area reduction over 4 and 8 weeks.
- Histological analysis (picrosirius staining) quantified new bone formation.
Main Results:
- The α-TCP + PRP group exhibited numerically smaller lesion areas at 4 and 8 weeks compared to the PRP group, though not statistically significant (p > 0.05).
- New bone formation rates were higher in the α-TCP + PRP group (73.3% at 4 weeks, 85.86% at 8 weeks) than in the PRP group (62.7% at 4 weeks, 79.01% at 8 weeks), without significant differences (p > 0.05).
Conclusions:
- Combined α-TCP cement and PRP did not yield statistically significant improvements in osteogenesis compared to PRP alone in this rat femur model.
- A trend towards accelerated bone regeneration was observed when α-TCP cement was used in conjunction with PRP, suggesting a potential synergistic early effect.
