Abstract

Rapid wound closure is important after arthroplasty procedures to prevent postoperative complications. Platelets are rich in growth factors and leukocytes contribute to innate immunity. We hypothesized that topical leukocyte platelet-rich plasma (L-PRP) derived from the blood of patients would be beneficial to wound healing. In this randomized controlled trial, patients subjected to elective total hip arthroplasty (THA) were assigned by concealed allocation either L-PRP application onto the sutured fascia or no application (control) after the THA intervention. In addition, all patients received 1.5 g protein/kg, 5 g L-arginine, 500 mg vitamin C and 44 mg zinc daily over the 4-week postoperative period to obtain optimal nutrition. The primary endpoint was complete healing of the skin incision. The secondary endpoints were blood transfusions, length of hospital stay, pain and wound infections. Sixteen patients in the L-PRP group and 17 patients in the control group completed the trial. L-PRP treatment accelerated complete wound healing after 3 weeks (seven in the L-PRP group vs. zero in the control group, p = 0.003) and after 4 weeks (12 in the L-PRP group vs. six in the control group, p = 0.037). No postoperative superficial wound infections occurred within 4 weeks, and there were no significant differences in the other secondary outcomes. L-PRP generated in 10 sex-matched healthy volunteers revealed increased concentrations of platelets (5.8-fold) and leukocytes (2.3-fold) compared with those in whole blood. Furthermore, the concentration of keratinocyte mitogen epidermal growth factor in L-PRP (380 ± 130 pg/ml, mean ± SD) was higher (p < 0.001) than that in serum (130 ± 26 pg/ml). In conclusion, a single intraoperative local application of L-PRP promoted wound healing after THA, possibly mediated by EGF receptor agonists.

Abstract

BACKGROUND Multiple gingival recession (MGR) coverage, especially in esthetic area, demands a high patient satisfaction. Coronally advanced flap modifications, namely Zucchelli's technique (ZT) and vestibular incision subperiosteal tunnel access (VISTA), are techniques, recommended in the correction of MGR. AIM: The purpose was to comparatively analyze the ZT and VISTA technique reinforced with the platelet-rich fibrin membrane in the management of MGR. MATERIALS AND METHODS This split-mouth, randomized study comprised 16 consenting, systemically healthy participants. The bilateral Miller's multiple class I and II lesions were managed with ZT and VISTA technique and had a follow-up period of 18 months. Gingival thickness (GT), mean percentage of root coverage, and patient-centered outcome scales, including patient comfort score, patient esthetic score, and hypersensitivity score, were the primary outcome measures. Further clinical parameters assessed were gingival index, probing depth, clinical attachment level, and width of keratinized gingiva. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS AND RESULTS Paired t-test and unpaired t-test were used for intragroup comparison and intergroup analysis, respectively. While both the techniques exhibited high root coverage percentage (VISTA 93.95% and ZT: 96.84%), statistically significant difference was noted with patient esthetic score and surgical mortality score in VISTA. CONCLUSION Both ZT and VISTA were effective in terms of root coverage and GT augmentation in MGR management. From the patient's perspective, they preferred VISTA technique over ZT, stating its minimal postoperative morbidity and improved esthetic outcome. Hence, within the limitations of this study, the VISTA technique was found to be a superior alternative compared to that of ZT in MGR management.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE To assess the therapeutic effect of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) for moderate-to-severe carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). DESIGN A prospective, randomized, double-blinded, controlled trial (1-year follow-up). SETTING Outpatient of local medical center settings. PARTICIPANTS Twenty-six patients who were diagnosed with bilateral moderate-to-severe CTS (total 52 wrists) were included. For each patient, one wrist was randomized into either the PRP or control group and the contralateral wrist of the same patient was allocated to another group. Twenty-four patients were included in the final data analysis. INTERVENTIONS The wrists in the PRP group received a single ultrasound-guided dose of PRP injection (3.5 mL), and the control group received a single ultrasound-guided injection with normal saline (3.5 mL). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The Boston Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Questionnaire (BCTQ) scores were used as the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes encompassed the cross-sectional area of the median nerve and electrophysiological study. Assessments were conducted prior to injection and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months post-injection. RESULTS Compared to the control group, the PRP group exhibited significant improvements in BCTQ severity scores at all time-points, BCTQ functional scores at the 6(th) month, and cross-sectional area at the 12(th) month post-injection (P<0.0125). CONCLUSIONS A single dose of ultrasound-guided perineural PRP injection can provide therapeutic effect for 1 year post-injection.

Abstract

BACKGROUND Success rate after ligation of the inter-sphincteric fistula tract ranges from 40% to 75%. Platelet-rich plasma is hypothesized to improve healing by slowly releasing growth factors. The objective of the study was to compare the efficacy and outcome of ligation of the inter-sphincteric fistula tract plus platelet-rich plasma local injection versus ligation of the inter-sphincteric fistula tract alone in the management of high trans-sphincteric anal fistula in regards to postoperative pain, time for healing, morbidity, fistula closure rate, recurrence, and quality of life. METHODS This was a prospective randomized trial. Patients with trans-sphincteric anal fistulas involving >50% of anal sphincters were included. Patients were randomly assigned to either ligation of the inter-sphincteric fistula tract plus platelet-rich plasma or ligation of the inter-sphincteric fistula tract (49 in each group). The primary endpoints were successful complete fistula closure and duration needed for healing. Secondary endpoints were morbidity, recurrence after 1 year of follow-up, postoperative pain, and quality of life. RESULTS Complete primary healing was recorded in 42 patients in the ligation of the inter-sphincteric fistula tract plus platelet-rich plasma group and 32 patients in the ligation of the inter-sphincteric fistula tract group, and the difference was statistically significant (P = .03). The mean time to complete healing after ligation of the inter-sphincteric fistula tract plus platelet-rich plasma was significantly shorter than after ligation of the inter-sphincteric fistula tract alone (15.7 ± 4 days vs 21.6 ± 5.4 days; P = .03). One year after complete healing of anal fistula, recurrence was recorded in 4/42 patients in the ligation of the inter-sphincteric fistula tract plus platelet-rich plasma group and 3/32 patients in the ligation of the inter-sphincteric fistula tract group with no statistically significant difference (P = .99). Patients in the ligation of the inter-sphincteric fistula tract plus platelet-rich plasma group had significantly lower pain scores after both 1 and 7 days. Quality of life and level of happiness were significantly better 1 month after ligation of the inter-sphincteric fistula tract plus platelet-rich plasma. CONCLUSION Ligation of the inter-sphincteric fistula tract plus platelet-rich plasma for the treatment of high trans-sphincteric fistula-in-ano is a safe modality with significantly higher successful healing rate, shorter healing time, and less postoperative pain compared with ligation of the inter-sphincteric fistula tract alone. Ligation of the inter-sphincteric fistula tract plus platelet-rich plasma does not improve the rate of recurrence; however, it results in significantly higher short-term quality of life.

Abstract

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to conduct a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the clinical and imaging outcomes of all four types of platelet-rich therapies [pure platelet-rich plasma (P-PRP), leukocyte and platelet-rich plasma (L- PRP), pure platelet-rich fibrin (P-PRF), and leukocyte and platelet-rich fibrin (L-PRF)] in rotator cuff repairs. METHODS A systematic literature search was performed to identify RCTs comparing any of the four types of platelet-rich products (PRP) to a control in rotator cuff repair. Data extracted from the studies included retear rates diagnosed with imaging studies, as well as outcome scores such as Constant, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES), University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Simple Shoulder Test (SST) and visual analog scale (VAS). Meta-analyses compared postoperative outcome scores and retear rates between the control and study groups. RESULTS Seventeen studies were included in the meta-analysis. When pooling data from all studies, retear rate for the treatment group was 19.3%, compared to 25.4% for the control group (odds ratio [OR] 0.59, p =0.0037). When stratified based on PRP type, only P-PRP resulted in a significant reduction in retear rate (OR 0.26, p=0.0005). Overall, treatment with PRP significantly improved Constant scores when compared to controls (mean difference [MD] 2.41, p = 0.0027), as well as VAS scores (MD -0.12, p = 0.0014), and SST scores (MD 0.41, p = 0.0126). There was no significant difference in ASES scores (MD 0.37, p = 0.7762) or UCLA scores (MD 0.76, p = 0.2447) between treatment and controls when pooling data from all studies. CONCLUSIONS This analysis demonstrates significant reductions in retear rates when rotator cuff repair is augmented with PRP. P-PRP appears to be the most effective formulation, resulting in significantly improved retear rates and clinical outcome scores when compared with controls. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level II, meta-analysis of Level I and Level II studies.

Abstract

PURPOSE To determine the efficacy of autologous platelet- and extracellular vesicle-rich plasma (PVRP) to treat chronic postoperative temporal bone cavity inflammation (CPTBCI) after exhausting surgical and standard conservative therapies. MATERIALS AND METHODS Patients were randomly allocated to treatment with PVRP (PVRP group) or standard conservative methods (control group) in a setting of four once-monthly checkups and subsequent follow-up. The treatment outcome was measured with the Chronic Otitis Media Questionnaire-12 (COMQ-12), CPTBCI focus surface area, and CPTBCI symptom-free time after the fourth checkup. RESULTS Eleven patients from each group completed the trial; 95% of patients suffered from chronically discharging mastoid cavity (the type of CPTBCI). Within four checkups, the COMQ-12 score decreased statistically significantly in the PVRP group (p < 0.001) but not in the control group (p = 0.339). The CPTBCI foci surface area decreased statistically significantly between the first and second checkups (p < 0.0005) but not between other checkups (p > 0.05) in the PVRP group. No statistically significant differences in CPTBCI foci surface area were detected between checkups in the control group (p = 0.152). Nine patients from the PVRP group and three patients from the control group were CPTBCI symptom-free at the fourth checkup. The median symptom-free time was 9.2 months (95% CI [7.4, 11.9]) in the PVRP group. Cumulatively, 49% of patients in the PVRP group remained CPTBCI symptom-free for 12.7 months after the fourth checkup. CONCLUSION Autologous PVRP represents a novel additional and successful treatment modality for a chronically discharging radical mastoid cavity when the surgical and standard conservative treatment methods have been exhausted. TRIAL NUMBER https://clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04281901).

Abstract

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical efficacy of the patients with medial compartment knee osteoarthritis who underwent either opening-wedge high tibial osteotomy alone (HTO) or simultaneous HTO and pure platelet rich plasma therapy (HTO-P-PRP). METHODS Eighty patients were divided into two groups randomly, the HTO alone group (n=41) and the HTO combined with intra-articular P-PRP group (n=39). Patients were matched for preoperative age, sex and body mass index (BMI). The outcomes studies included Visual analogue scale (VAS), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) and Lysholm score. The minimum width of medial knee joint (MJSW), medial proximal tibial angle (MPTA), femoral tibial angle (FTA) and weight bearing line (WBL) were measured preoperatively, immediately postoperatively and 1, 6, 12 and 24 months postoperatively. Paired T-test and chi-square test were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS All patients were followed up at 1, 6, 12 and 24 months postoperatively. At 1, 6 and 12 months, pain and function scores in the HTO-P-PRP group were better than those in the HTO alone groups, especially at 6 months in Lysholm score (HTO alone, 72.5 ±10.6, HTO-P-PRP, 83.1 ±14.7; P =.003, 95%CI=-14.13 to -10.42) and WOMAC score (HTO alone, 90.3 ±11.9, HTO-P-PRP, 75.6 ±15.4; P ＜.001, 95%CI=13.36 to 20.11). For both groups, no difference was found between preoperatively (HTO alone, varus 3.5 ± 3.9, HTO-P-PRP, varus 4.1 ± 4.0; P= 0.898) and postoperatively (HTO alone, valgus 6.7 ± 4.5; HTO-P-PRP, valgus 7.7 ± 2.3; P= 0.768) in FTA and WBL. The increase of the MJSW in the HTO-P-PRP group was significantly greater than which in the HTO alone group during the first year, especially at 6 months (HTO alone, 3.8 ±1.2mm, HTO-P-PRP, 4.6 ±1.1mm; P=0.001, 95%CI=-1.27 to -0.35). CONCLUSIONS Compared with HTO alone, HTO combined with intra-articular P-PRP improved the minimum medial knee joint space width during the first year postoperatively. Clinically, higher proportions of patients in HTO-P-PRP group exceeded minimal clinically important differences (MCID) in the first year, especially at 6 months in Lysholm score (HTO alone, 65.9%; HTO-P-PRP, 97.4%) and WOMAC score (HTO alone, 82.9%; HTO-P-PRP, 100.0%).

Abstract

PURPOSE The aim of the study is to compare, at 10-year follow-up, the clinical and radiological outcomes of arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with or without the addition of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) over the tendon-bone interface at the end of the surgical procedure. METHODS Of 53 patients recruited in the study, and randomly divided into two groups (PRP=26; control=27), 38 were re-evaluated at least 10 years after the index procedure. The clinical evaluation was carried out through: University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) Shoulder Score, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Simple Shoulder Test (SST), Constant-Murley Score (CMS), Single Assessment Numerical Evaluation (SANE), American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) and isometric strength in abduction, forward flexion and external rotation. Musculoskeletal ultrasound had been used to evaluate the integrity of the repaired cuff. RESULTS A number of 38 (71%) patients (PRP=17; control=21) with a median age of 71 [64.75-76.50] years have been evaluated. Satisfaction at follow-up is high (90%), without statistically significant difference between the two groups. We report good and excellent clinical results in both groups (PRP vs control): CMS (81.62 [72.47-85.75] vs 77.97 [69.52-82.55] points), UCLA (34 [29.00-35.00] vs 33 [29.00-35.00] points), VAS (0.34 [0.00-1.85] vs 0.70 [0.00-2.45] cm). It was not possible to find a statistically significant difference for the variables analysed, except for ASES and SANE. On average, 37% of the operated patients had a re-rupture at the ultrasound examination, regardless the treatment group (p=1.00). Compared with the previous radiological control at the 2-year follow-up, new retears occurred in 6% of the patients that received PRP treatment, whereas in the control group the percentage raises to 14% (p=0.61). CONCLUSION The clinical and radiological outcomes at the 10-year follow-up show a substantial uniformity of results between the two groups. The minor differences that had been observed at 2-year follow-up disappeared at long term. Patients' satisfaction is still high 10 years after surgical treatment.

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Platelets for transfusion have a shelf-life of 7 days, limiting availability and leading to wastage. Cryopreservation at -80°C extends shelf-life to at least 1 year, but safety and effectiveness are uncertain. MATERIALS AND METHODS This single centre blinded pilot trial enrolled adult cardiac surgery patients who were at high risk of platelet transfusion. If treating clinicians determined platelet transfusion was required, up to three units of either cryopreserved or liquid-stored platelets intraoperatively or during intensive care unit admission were administered. The primary outcome was protocol safety and feasibility. RESULTS Over 13 months, 89 patients were randomized, 23 (25.8%) of whom received a platelet transfusion. There were no differences in median blood loss up to 48 h between study groups, or in the quantities of study platelets or other blood components transfused. The median platelet concentration on the day after surgery was lower in the cryopreserved platelet group (122 × 10(3) /μl vs. 157 × 10(3) /μl, median difference 39.5 ×10(3) /μl, p = 0.03). There were no differences in any of the recorded safety outcomes, and no adverse events were reported on any patient. Multivariable adjustment for imbalances in baseline patient characteristics did not find study group to be a predictor of 24-h blood loss, red cell transfusion or a composite bleeding outcome. CONCLUSION This pilot randomized controlled trial demonstrated the feasibility of the protocol and adds to accumulating data supporting the safety of this intervention. Given the clear advantage of prolonged shelf-life, particularly for regional hospitals in New Zealand, a definitive non-inferiority phase III trial is warranted.