Objective: To verify the feasibility of treating pressure ulcers (PUs) with autologous platelet-rich fibrin-based (PRF) bioactive membrane, both in vitro and in vivo.
Method: An animal model using adult male Sprague-Dawley rats was used. Pressure was periodically exerted on the skin to induce localised ischaemia by using an external magnet and transplanted metal disc. After a PU developed, the rats were divided into two groups: a treatment group and a control group. Rats in the treatment group were then treated with PRF bioactive membrane every three days.
Results: A total of 20 rats were used in this study. At days three and seven, the PU area in the PRF bioactive membrane-treated group was significantly smaller than that in the control group, and after 14 days of treatment, the PUs in the PRF bioactive membrane treatment group had healed. Haemotoxylin and eosin staining, immunohistochemistry and Western blot results indicated that PRF bioactive membrane induced wound healing by increasing the thickness of the regenerated epidermis and by upregulating vascular endothelial growth factor expression. Further, we found that different concentrations of rat autologous PRF soluble factors extraction components could significantly promote rat aortic endothelial cell proliferation, wound healing and migration ability in vitro.
Conclusion: Overall, results indicate that PRF bioactive membrane promotes PU healing in rats. Thus, it may represent a natural and effective wound-healing tool for use in the treatment of clinical skin PUs in humans in the future.
Keywords: autologous platelet rich fibrin; pressure ulcer; vascular endothelial growth factor; wound healing.