Comparative evaluation of platelet count in whole blood and injectable platelet-rich fibrin

Background: Platelets are formed from megakaryocytes and platelets are present in the circulation for 5–7 days. Platelets are essential in hemostasis, vascular integrity, angiogenesis, inflammation, innate immunity, and wound healing. To capitalize on the advantageous qualities of platelets, platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) was developed by centrifuging peripheral blood. A new platelet concentrate has recently been developed, by utilizing lower centrifugation speed. This new platelet concentrate is in an injectable form called injectable PRF (I-PRF). Aim: This study intends to quantify and compare the platelets in whole blood (WB) and I-PRF. Materials and Methods: The study included ten systemically healthy individuals. Seven milliliter of blood was collected by following standard aseptic protocol. Smears of blood and I-PRF were made and stained by Leishman's stain to confirm the presence of platelets. I-PRF was made by centrifuging 5 ml of blood at 1000 rpm for 3 min at 60 g, which was fed to the automated cell counter unit to count the number of platelets. Results: The platelet count in I-PRF was significantly more when compared with that of WB. Conclusion: The results of our study suggest that the I-PRF has a richer concentration of platelets when compared to the WB.