A Novel Biomimetic Platelet Concentrate: Hydroxyapatite Platelet-Rich Fibrin (HA-PRF)

Objectives: In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the use of platelet-rich products for the treatment of many clinical conditions in medicine and dentistry. When developed in 2001 by Chouckroun, the leukocyte and platelet-rich fibrin (L-PRF) moved itself to the forefront of other blood products, as it was obtained as a result of glass activated natural clotting, it was completely autogenous, and no foreign anticoagulant or clotting agent was used. Titanium induced platelet aggregation is better than glass. A platelet-rich product called titanium prepared platelet-rich fibrin (T-PRF) has stronger and thicker fibrin than that of the classic glass tube prepared platelet-rich fibrin. Strong fibrin structure is important to extend the time for resorption of fibrin in-vivo, and increase the release time of growth factors. In our initial trials, we observed that hydroxyapatite induced platelet aggregation similar to titanium, and the clot produced in hydroxyapatite coated tubes was clinically identical to that in titanium tubes. In this first preliminary study, we aimed to define the structural characteristics of this new biomimetic platelet-rich product prepared in hydroxyapatite coated tubes (HA-PRF) and compare it with T- PRF.
Methods: Blood samples were collected from 10 healthy volunteers. The blood samples were drawn using a syringe. Ten milliliters was transferred to a titanium tube, and 10 ml was transferred to a hydroxyapatite coated tube. Half of each clot was processed with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The other half of each clot was processed for fluorescence microscopy analysis and light microscopy analysis.
Results: The HA-PRF and T-PRF samples had a organized networks with continuous integrity. The fibrin seemed thick and organized in the HA-PRF and T-PRF samples.
Conclusions: This is the first human study to define HA-PRF as a platelet-rich fibrin product. The platelet activation by hydroxyapatite seems to offer some high characteristics to HA-PRF.