For years now I have been utilizing PRP and PRGF to help speed up patient’s healing. We clearly see less bruising and swelling after surgery, with most patients stating that they have less pain than expected. This method is especially useful for patients with cancer who are undergoing chemotherapy or for those female patients that have used bisphosphonates to treat their osteoporosis and are undergoing extractions. (FYI – patients who take oral or IV bisphosphonates are are much higher risk for detrimental infections of the jaw bone = osteomyelitis)
So what is PRP or PRGF? PRP = Platelet Rich Plasma. PRGF = Plasma Rich Growth Factor
Its really the patients own blood products that are isolated during surgery, processed and then re-implanted into the surgery site. Since most of our surgeries are performed under IV sedation, we typically only draw about 30ml of the patient’s blood to create enough PRP/PRGF to place in the surgical sites.
Other surgeons, such as orthopedic and plastic surgeons, have also utilized the power of these growth factors to help improve patient outcomes:
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00648
Attached is also an article talking about this technology in plastic surgery.
