Platelet-rich plasma accelerated surgical angio-genesis in vascular-implanted necrotic bone: an experimental study in rabbits

Background Platelets contain many kinds of growth factors with the ability to accelerate angiogenesis. We analyzed whether a single injection of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) would accelerate surgical angiogenesis in necrotic bone implanted with vascular tissue.

Methods We used 24 Japanese White rabbits. PRP was refined from autologous blood by separation twice with centrifugation. A removed iliac bone was frozen in liquid nitrogen to ensure complete cellular necrosis. A narrow hole was made in the bone and the saphenous vascular bundle was passed through the hole. The bone was wrapped after injection of either 1 mL (1) PRP, or (2) saline solution into the hole, and was placed subcu-taneously in the thigh. In both groups, angiogenesis was compared 1 week and 2 weeks after surgery.

Result Angiogenesis was observed along the implanted vascular bundle in both groups. At 1 and 2 weeks after surgery, both the vessel density and the average length of newly formed vessels of the experimental group were significantly greater than in the control group. Both the vessel density and the length were greater after 2 weeks than after 1 week.

Interpretation A single injection of PRP accelerates surgical angiogenesis in vascular-implanted necrotic bone.