Role of Combination of Particulated Allograft and Advanced Platelet-Rich Fibrin (A-PRF) in Alveolar Cleft Bone...

Evaluation of the combination of advanced platelet-rich fibrin (A-PRF) and allogenic bone for alveolar cleft grafting.

A comparative retrospective study included 20 patients with unilateral alveolar clefts who underwent alveolar cleft reconstruction. The patients enrolled in the study were allocated into 2 groups depending on the graft material used. The 2 groups are group A, which includes 9 patients, where their alveolar cleft defects were grafted with autogenous anterior iliac crest bone graft (AIC), and group B, which consists of 11 patients, where their alveolar cleft defects were grafted using a combination of A-PRF together with allogenic bone (demineralized freeze-dried bone, DFDB). Computed tomography (CT) was performed to evaluate both the quantity and the quality of the newly formed bone.

Sufficient bone bridging had formed in both groups. At 12 months postoperatively, the newly formed nonvolume percentages were 82.6%±3.9% in group A. While in group B, the rate was 76.66% ± 5.82%. The statistical results showed no significant differences between the 2 groups. At the same postoperative period, the mean bone density of the formed bone of group B was comparable to that of group A. There were insignificant differences between the 2 groups, with slightly higher bone volume in group A and somewhat higher bone density in group B.

A-PRF combined with an allograft for alveolar cleft reconstruction is believed to be a promising technique. Moreover, this combination may decrease the risk of intraoperative and postoperative complications, reduce surgery time, prevent secondary surgical site infections, and yield comparable results.