Study of Platelet-Rich Fibrin Formation in Polypropylene and Polystyrene Tubes

Objectives: To study the complete clot formation time (CCFT) of Platelet-Rich Fibrin (PRF) in two types of plastic tube, polypropylene (PP) and polystyrene (PS).

Methods: Totally twenty-three ml of blood was collected from each of 20 healthy volunteers. The 5 ml was used for screening test (complete blood count, prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time). Three ml of blood was aliquot into three types of centrifuge tube including glass (control), PP and PS tubes in random order. We performed duplicated experiments. All tubes were centrifuged immediately at 420 xg, 25°c for 10 minutes, then left at room temperature. The CCFT was recorded once centrifugation was finished until complete PRF clot formed. One-way ANOVA was used to determine statistical significance (p<0.05). After that, PRF clots were left on gauze for achieving the PRF membranes and then were examined by scanning electron microscope (SEM).

Results: The means CCFT of PRF in PP (60.55±28.02 minutes) and PS (56.00±23.12 minutes) tubes were not significantly different (p=0.925), however, they are different from in glass tube  (0.275 minutes) significantly (p<0.05). The SEM study showed that the PRF membranes from three types of tube were constructed from clusters of platelet aggregation and dense matrix fibrin network.

Conclusions: The CCFT of PRF in the plastic tubes is longer than in the glass tube significantly. Nevertheless, in concerning of accidentally glass broken, the PP or PS tube may be used alternatively for PRF preparation. However, to prove the richness of factors promoting wound healing, further study should compare the quantity of growth factors in PRF formed in PP or PS tubes with those formed in glass tube.