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Published on: March 19, 2018
Platelet-rich fibrin accelerates skin wound healing in pressure injuries: a rat model
Tao Zhang1,2, Jia Wang2, Kai Le3
1Department of General Surgery, Beijing Liangxiang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Insights
Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) significantly accelerated skin wound healing in pressure injuries (PIs) in a rat model. PRF treatment increased capillary formation, promoting faster recovery without causing increased fibrosis.
Area of Science:
- Regenerative Medicine
- Wound Healing Research
- Biomaterials Science
Background:
- Pressure injuries (PIs) are serious, costly conditions with limited traditional treatment effectiveness.
- Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) is known to promote healing by releasing growth factors and stimulating cell activity.
- Novel therapeutic strategies are needed to improve PI treatment outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of PRF in accelerating skin wound healing in a rat model of pressure injuries.
- To elucidate the underlying mechanisms of PRF's effect on PI healing in vivo.
- To evaluate the impact of PRF on angiogenesis and fibrosis in PI wounds.
Main Methods:
- A rat model of PI was established using a magnet-induced ischaemia/reperfusion injury.
- Rats were randomized into a control group (gauze dressings) and an iPRF group (PRF treatment).
- Wound healing rate, CD31 staining (angiogenesis), and Masson's trichrome staining (fibrosis) were assessed.
Main Results:
- PRF treatment significantly improved the skin wound healing rate in the rat PI model.
- Histological analysis revealed a significant increase in capillary density (angiogenesis) in PRF-treated wounds.
- No significant increase in fibrotic tissue was observed following PRF treatment.
Conclusions:
- PRF effectively accelerates skin wound healing in pressure injuries.
- The mechanism involves enhanced angiogenesis within the wound bed.
- PRF presents a promising therapeutic option for managing pressure injuries.
Objective:
Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) plays a role in promoting wound healing by releasing cytokines, chemokines and growth factors, and by inducing proliferation and activation of cells. A pressure injury (PI) is a treatable but serious and costly disease with adverse outcomes for the patient. However, traditional PI treatments are time-consuming, with limited effectiveness. Thus, we aimed to investigate the effects and mechanisms of PRF on skin wound healing in PIs in vivo in a rat model.
Method:
PRF was prepared from the blood of male Wistar rats. A rat model for PI ischaemia/reperfusion injury was established by placing a magnet onto the back skin, where a magnetic steel plate had been previously implanted. The rats were randomised into two groups: the control group was treated with sterile gauze dressings and the iPRF group received additional PRF. Skin wound healing rate was calculated and a CD31/Masson's trichrome stain performed.
Results:
In this study, 16 rats were allocated to the two groups (n=8 in each group). PRF improved the skin wound healing rate of PIs in the rats; haematoxylin and eosin staining and CD31 staining showed that the number of capillaries increased significantly in the wound. However, Masson's trichrome staining showed no increase in fibrotic tissues after PRF treatment.
Conclusion:
In this in vivo rat model for PI, PRF accelerated skin wound healing by increasing angiogenesis in the wound.
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