Effects of platelet-rich plasma on tissue-engineered vascularized flaps in an in vivo chamber.

AIMS: We investigated the reproducibility of creating a vascularized tissue flap in an in vivo tissue engineering chamber by incubating a vascular pedicle imbedded in a collagen sponge with activated platelet-rich plasma (aPRP) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF).

METHODS: Collagen sponge soaked with saline (control group), bFGF (Group 1), aPRP (Group 2), and aPRP/controlled release bFGF (Group 3) was implanted with a saphenous arteriovenous pedicle into a tissue engineering chamber, located subcutaneously in the groin of rabbits. After 4 weeks of implantation, the contents in the chamber were harvested for volumetric and histological analyses.

RESULTS: The total volume of generated tissue in Group 3 was the largest among the Groups (control group vs. Group 3, p < 0.01). The volume of the pedicle vascular bundle/adipose tissue component was larger in Groups 1 and 3 than that in the control group (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively). The inflammatory tissue volume was larger in Groups 2 and 3 (control group vs. Group 3, p < 0.05). In a smaller long-term study, inflammatory tissue at 4 weeks was gradually replaced by the adipose tissue within 8 weeks.

CONCLUSION: PRP-induced inflammatory reactions were considered to be necessary to stimulate cell migration into the chamber, leading to more tissue regeneration with abundant cell components. We conclude that PRP contributes to the reproducibility of preparing vascularized flaps in an in vivo chamber.