Effect of platelet-rich fibrin on donor site of Split thickness skin graft in burn patients

Abstract

PRF has fibrin characteristics with platelet distribution that is more similar to the body’s response to the wound and bending macroscopic structures. The process involves a three-dimensional formation of fibrin matrix, which act as a scaffold for platelet clot formation and gathering of growth factors which helps to localize growth factors to improve tissue regeneration. The use of PRF has several advantages such as increasing the activation of gene expression and protein production. In addition, differentiation factors also affect platelet activation. These factors regulate and stimulate the healing process and play an important role in cellular processes, such as mitogenesis, chemotaxis, differentiation, and metabolism. This prospective, interventional, controlled, clinical trial study was done from April 2020 to April 2021 at burn unit of El Demerdash Hospital Ain Shams University. Local Ethical Committee approval and patient’s informed written consent to participate in the study were obtained before patient's enrollment. The patients included were those with 2nd or 3rd degree burns of any etiology, aged 5-50 years and of both sexes. Patients were excluded if they had any Co morbidities that affect the healing process like diabetes mellitus and chronic diseases such as liver cell failure, renal failure, heart failure, oncology patients treated with radiotherapy or chemotherapy, and Smoker patients. The primary outcome was to evaluate the effect of PRF in accelerating wound epithelization in the donor site after after harvesting STSG . Twenty patients were included in the study. Patients served as their own controls. Prepared PRF was injected at upper half of the donor site split thickness skin graft and the lower half was considered as a control. Follow up was done for comparison of healing time.