A prospective study involving the use of platelet rich plasma in enhancing the uptake of bone grafts in the oral and maxillofacial region.

ABSTRACT: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is an autologous product that contains highly concentrated number of platelets in a small volume of plasma, derived from whole blood by gradient density centrifugation. It has been speculated that local growth factors in human platelets (insulin-like growth factor, IGF; transforming growth factor, TGF-β; platelet derived growth factor, PDGF) would enhance healing of grafts and also counteract resorption. The aim of this study was to evaluate efficacy of PRP on early healing after autogenous bone grafting. Of the twenty patients selected ten were treated with autogenous bone graft and PRP (PRP group) and other ten with autogenous bone graft alone (non-PRP group). PRP group consisted of two benign tumor of mandible, one post surgical defect, two unilateral alveolar cleft, one bilateral alveolar cleft with skeletal class III malocclusion, one maxillary hypoplasia, one oronasal fistula, one recurrent tumor of mandible, one multiple impacted mandibular teeth. Non-PRP group consisted of seven benign tumor of jaw, one keratocyst odontogenic tumor, one orbital blow out fracture, one residual traumatic defect. Biopsies were taken in the native bone, PRP treated grafted bone, grafted bone without PRP at 3 months to assess the maturity of bone. Radiographic imaging was performed by panoramic radiography at 3 and 6 months to evaluate bone opacity of grafted bone on comparison with native bone and computerized tomography at 6 months to evaluate grafted bone morphologically and to measure bone density in Hounsfield units. Microscopic results showed that significantly more matured bone was formed at PRP treated sites as that of native bone and immature bone in controls after 3 months of healing. Bone opacity of PRP treated bone grafts was close to that of native bone than that of non-PRP treated bone grafts on panoramic radiograph at 3 and 6 months. There was graft loss in three cases and graft resorption in one case of non-PRP treated bone grafts at 6 months. In PRP group the compact bone was clearly differentiated from cancellous bone as in native bone and thick in five cases, thin in five cases. In non-PRP group the compact bone was thin as a whole. Comparing native bone group and PRP group the CT value of PRP treated bone graft was more or less close to native bone group and comparing native bone group and non-PRP group CT value was low in non-PRP treated bone graft. Whereas when comparing PRP and non-PRP group CT value was higher in PRP group. Autologous PRP was a safe, biocompatible, effective, source for growth factors and carries no risk of transmissible diseases. It enhances and accelerates bone regeneration of autogenous bone grafts.