title: The Addition of Platelet-Rich Plasma to Scaffolds Used for Cartilage Repair: A Review of Human and Animal Studies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the available literature on studies focusing on platelet-rich plasma (PRP)-enhanced scaffolds for cartilage lesion repair in animals and to analyze the clinical outcomes of similar biologically augmented cartilage regeneration techniques in humans.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a literature search and subsequent review investigating the potential of PRP to enhance articular cartilage repair using scaffolds or bioengineered implants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 14 animal model studies reviewed, 10 reported positive effects with PRP whereas only 2 showed negative overall effects. The remaining 2 studies reported no significant differences, or neutral results, with the use of PRP. With the addition of PRP, the gross appearance and histologic analysis of repair cartilage were improved or no difference was seen compared with control (11 of 12 studies that looked at this). Human studies of the knee or talar dome showed improvements in clinical assessment scores as soon as 6 months after surgery. There was great variability in the method of PRP preparation, choice of scaffold, and cell source between studies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PRP-augmented scaffolds have been shown to be beneficial in the articular cartilage repair process in animals and humans based on macroscopic, histologic, and biochemical analysis and based on clinical outcome scores, respectively. Comparison between studies is difficult because there is great variability in PRP preparation and administration.
  
  
  METHODS
  Level IV, systematic review of Level III and IV studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Division, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Corey
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sermer
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Division, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Devitt
authors.affiliation: Toronto Western Hospital, Sports Medicine Program, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Jaskarndip
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chahal
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kandel
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Division, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address: jtheodoropoulos@mtsinai.on.ca.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Theodoropoulos
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D057005:Bioengineering / Q000379:methods; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000601:surgery; D053657:Platelet-Rich Plasma; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds; D014945:Wound Healing