The use of platelet-rich fibrin matrices to enhance growth factor delivery for connective tissue healing

Growth factors are known to play a crucial role in the repair and regeneration of connective tissues. Research unraveling the basic biologic mechanisms of wound healing in a variety of tissues has led to the development of numerous exogenous and autologous growth factor products designed to enhance connective tissue repair. However, the optimal growth factor delivery method for tissue repair and regeneration remains unsettled. Autologous platelet-rich fibrin matrices (PRFM) may represent a promising method to deliver locally increased concentrations of platelet-derived growth factors and other bioactive molecules for a prolonged period of time. The goal of this thesis is to examine the role of a PRFM in enhancing growth factor delivery for connective tissue healing. In addition to providing a thorough review of the literature relevant to the PRFM, the growth factor elution kinetics and mitogenic capacity of PRFMs in vitro is examined. The role of a PRFM in enhancing and accelerating tendon healing in a canine model in vivo is presented. The use of PRFM-related technology to create a bioactive scaffold for tissue engineering applications is also presented. The results of this thesis supports the use of PRFMs to enhance growth factor delivery for connective tissue healing, particularly in biologically compromised or chronically injured tissues where a prolonged increase in growth factors may be particularly desired.