Summary
Objectives: To evaluate bone healing in an experimental radial ostectomy in dogs treated with
autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP), through histological, densitometric, radiographic
studies, as well as expression of growth factors in the ostectomy gap.
Methods: Twenty-one dogs were randomly divided into either a control or a PRP group. All underwent
unilateral ostectomy of the radius to generate a gap of 2.0 mm, that was stabilized
with external skeletal fixation. The ostectomy gap was either filled with PRP or left
empty as a control. The radiographic and densitometric studies were performed after
surgery, then at intervals until 60 days during the post-surgery period. Histological
and immunohistochemical evaluations were performed at seven or 60 days post-surgery.
Analyses were performed using a statistical analysis system, and the level of significance
was set at p <0.05.
Results: The median radiographic healing score in the PRP group increased significantly between
day 0 and day 60. Furthermore, at 60 days, the median healing score and the proportion
of healed ostectomies in the control group (score 1; 1/6 healed) and the PRP group
(score 5; 4/5 healed) were significantly different. There were differences between
groups in radiographic and densitometric values at days 45 and 60. The histological
evaluation showed advanced bone healing at 60 days in the PRP group and signs of delayed
union in the control group.
Clinical relevance: Platelet-rich plasma can be used as an adjuvant therapy because it may promote better
bone healing of a radial ostectomy treated with external skeletal fixation in dogs.
Keywords
Platelet-rich plasma - TGF-β - transforming growth factor beta - platelet growth factors
- PDGF - experimental ostectomy - dogs
