Abstract
PURPOSE: Herein we evaluated the effects of platelet concentrate (PC) and platelet-poor plasma (PPP) on bone repair using noncritical defects in the calvaria of rabbits and compared them to the presence of TGF-β1 and osteocalcin on reparative sites. METHODS: Five noncritical defects of 8.7 mm in diameter were created on the calvaria of 15 animals. Each defect was treated differently, using autograft (ABG), ABG associated with PC (ABG + PC), ABG with PPP (ABG + PPP), isolated PPP, and blood clot (control). The animals were submitted to euthanasia on the second, fourth and sixth week post-surgery. RESULTS: The defects that received ABG+PC or PPP demonstrated lower bone formation when compared to specimens that received ABG in the same period. These results coincided to significant higher immunopositivity for TGF-β1 for specimens that received PC, and lower presence of cytokine in the group PPP. However, either higher or lower presence of TGF-β1 were also correlated to lower presence of osteocalcin. Likewise, these results were similar to findings in specimens treated only with PPP when compared to control. CONCLUSIONS: PC and PPP were not effective when applied in association with ABG. Similarly, isolated use of PPP was not beneficial in optimizing the bone repair.