Effects of platelet-rich plasma and carbonated hydroxyapatite combination on cranial defect Bone Regeneration: An animal study

Abstract

Background

Recently, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has become popular in the tissue engineering field. PRP has a high concentration of platelets that is three to five times above that of normal plasma and contains several growth factors such as platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), platelet-derived angiogenesis factor (PDAF), platelet-derived endothelial growth factor (PDEGF), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), insulin-like growth factor (IGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Standard reconstruction of cranial bone defects involves the use of auto- or allogenic biomaterial, such as carbonated hydroxyapatite (CHA) as a scaffold for the osteogenesis process. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether any additional compound may improve the bone healing process.

Methods

This study involved animal experiments on white male rats (Rattus norvegicus). Three millimetre diameter were created in rat cranium. Samples were divided into three groups: first group, the cranial defect was grafted with CHA combined with PRP; second group, with CHA alone; and third group, the defect was left as secondary healing wound (control group). The wound healing process was observed for the presence of inflammatory cells and the occurrence of woven bone and lamellar bone. The results among the groups were compared and analysed by the Mann Whitney test using SPSS Statistics Program Package Version 22.0.

Results

The experimental group of 2 weeks showed no difference between inflammatory response (p = 0.119), woven bone (p = 0094) and lamellar bone (p = 0130). At 4 weeks, a combination of PRP and CHA showed a superior growth of lamellar bone compared to CHA (p = 0008).

Conclusion

A combination of PRP and CHA as a bone regeneration scaffold showed a histologically increased bone formation.