BACKGROUND: Platelet-rich plasma is an autologous concentration of human platelets in a small volume of plasma. The vast majority of publications reports a significant healing enhancement following its use. This study aim to establish a low-cost method to prepare a platelet-rich plasma and growth factors to be used in plastic surgery. METHODS: Blood was submitted to two centrifugations to obtain platelet-rich plasma. Twenty tests were performed changing the intensity and time of centrifugation, aim to establish the method that achieves the optimal platelet enrichment; and ten tests were performed to confirm the reproducibility of this method. RESULTS: The optimal platelets enrichment, over 4.5 times baseline, values was obtained using 300 g for 10 minutes on the first centrifugation and 640 g for 10 minutes on the second centrifugation. CONCLUSION: Platelet-rich plasma with high platelets counts can be prepared using this method and the gel can be obtained with the addition of autologous thrombin, obtained in the same procedure. This autologous platelet gel enhanced wound healing, therefore showing improved results in skin and bone grafts.
Reconstructive surgical procedures; Wound healing; Platelet-derived growth factor; Transforming growth factor beta; Blood platelets
