Investigation of platelet-rich plasma in rabbit cranial defects: A pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose was to evaluate the effect of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) on bone healing.


METHODS
Fifteen rabbits were included in this randomized, blinded, prospective pilot study. Four equal 8 mm diameter cranial bone defects were created and immediately grafted with autogenous bone, PRP alone, autogenous bone and PRP, and no treatment as a control. The defects were evaluated by digital subtraction radiography with step-wedge calibration, histology, and histomorphometric analysis performed at 1, 2, and 4 months.


RESULTS
The results showed a significant increase in histomorphometric bone area and radiographic bone density in both bone and bone and PRP samples as compared with the control and PRP alone. No significant increase in bone formation was seen with the addition of PRP to autogenous bone. No significant difference in bone formation was seen between defects treated with PRP alone and control sites.


CONCLUSIONS
No significant improvement, radiographically or histomorphometrically, was seen with the addition of PRP in bone formation in noncritical sized defects in the rabbit cranial model. However, bone and bone and PRP showed a histomorphometric tendency toward increased bone formation at 1, 2, and 4 months.
Aghaloo
Tara L
TL
Section of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, UCLA, School of Dentistry, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. taghaloo@ucla.edu
Moy
Peter K
PK
Freymiller
Earl G
EG
D000818:Animals; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000502:physiology; D001861:Bone Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D016025:Bone Transplantation; D005782:Gels / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010983:Plateletpheresis; D011817:Rabbits; D011859:Radiography; D011897:Random Allocation; D012886:Skull / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D013382:Subtraction Technique; D013997:Time Factors
D005782:Gels