Objectives: In this study, a histopathological comparison was aimed between platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection and dexamethasone injection in the prevention of scar formation after vocal fold injury.
Materials and methods: Electrocautery was applied to damage the right and left vocal folds of a total of 12 New Zealand rabbits. PRP obtained from the rabbit's own blood was injected into the right vocal fold, and dexamethasone was injected into the left vocal fold. After 8 weeks, the experimental animals were euthanized, and the levels of inflammatory cell infiltration, vascularization, collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid (HA) were compared in histopathological evaluation.
Results: In statistical comparison of histopathological data obtained; in terms of plasma cell infiltration, vascularization, and edema parameters, statistically significant results were obtained in favor of the PRP group. Although the difference between collagen, elastin and HA, which are critical in vocal fold scar healing, was more positive in favor of PRP, no significant result was revealed in the statistical evaluation.
Conclusions: PRP injection in rabbits with vocal fold damage reveals similar characteristics with dexamethasone injection in preventing scar formation. PRP injection has favorable effects on vascularization, prevention of edema, and number of plasma cells.
Keywords: Dexamethasone injection; PRP injection; Vocal fold scar.
© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.