A Histological Study on the Effect of Platelet Rich Plasma on Healing ofCutaneous Wounds in Dexamethasone Treated Adult Albino Rats

Abstract

Dexamethasone is one of the most potent member of glucocorticoids. It acts as anti-inflammatory medication that relieves inflammation in various parts of the body but it has the drawback of delaying wound healing. Wounds are considered medical crisis that could endanger life. Many interventions, including new medications and technologies, are being used to help achieve significant wound healing. Platelet rich plasma (PRP) is an autologous plasma that has platelet concentration above that of normal and release numerous factors that help cell proliferation and differentiation. It is considered a relatively safe treatment as it is produced from person`s own blood. Wound healing is described to pass through four overlapping phases. Hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and finallyremodeling. The goal of this work was to examine the effect of platelet rich plasma (PRP) on full thickness wound healing in dexamethasone treated versus naturally healing wounds at two time points (day 7; end of inflammatory phase & day 21 end of proliferative phase) to elucidate it’s role in health and disease. Sixty adult male albino rats were divided into five groups. Group I (control group): was further subdivided into two groups (group receiving no medical treatment(untreated) and dexamethasone treated group) all served as control. Group II(cutaneous wound group) and group IV(cutaneous wound group + dexamethasone treatment) were subjected to midback squared full thickness excisional wound (1x1 cm2). These groups are further subdivided into 2 subgroups. In subgroup IIa and IVa the skin wound specimens were examined on day 7 and those of subgroups II b and IV b were examined on day 21. Group III(cutaneous wound group + singleinjection with PRP) and group V(cutaneous wound group + dexamethasone treatment + single injection with PRP) were subjected to midback squared full thickness excisional wound (1x1cm2). These groups are further subdivided into 2 subgroups. In subgroup IIIa and Va the skin wound specimens were examined on day 7 and those of subgroup IIIb and Vb were examined on day 21.