Platelet-Rich Plasma Reduces Sternal Wound Infections

A new study shows that using platelet–rich plasma (PRP) inside the sternotomy wound can significantly reduce the occurrence of infections following cardiac surgery.

Researchers at Magna Graecia University (Catanzaro, Italy) and Pugliese Ciaccio Hospital (Catanzaro, Italy) conducted a study involving 1,093 consecutive patients who underwent cardiac surgery through median sternotomy between January 2007 and January 2012 to evaluate the effectiveness of PRP applied inside the sternotomy wound in reducing the effect of sternal wound infections, both superficial and deep. Antibiotic prophylaxis protocols remained unchanged throughout the study.

The study group included those who received the PRP applied inside the sternotomy wound before closure; the control group included patients who received a median sternotomy, but without the application of PRP. The results showed that the occurrence of deep sternal wound infections was significantly higher in the control group (1.5%) than in the study group (0.2%). In addition, superficial sternal wound infection rates were significantly higher in the control group than in the study group (2·8% versus 0.5%, respectively). The study was published on May 21, 2015, in International Wound Journal.

“Despite the large choice of wide-spectrum antibiotic therapy, deep sternal wound infection following cardiac surgery is a life-threatening complication worldwide,” concluded lead author Giuseppe Serraino, MD, of the cardiac surgery unit at Magna Graecia University, and colleagues. “The use of PRP can significantly reduce the occurrence of deep sternal wound infection and superficial sternal wound infections in cardiac surgery.”

PRP is blood plasma that has been enriched with platelets. The preparation process involves the collection of the patient's whole blood, which undergoes centrifugation to separate the PRP aliquot from platelet-poor plasma and red blood cells; the process concentrates the platelets roughly five-fold. As a concentrated source of autologous platelets, PRP contains several different growth factors and other cytokines that stimulate healing of bone and soft tissue. PRP has been investigated and used as a clinical tool for several types of medical treatments, including nerve injury, tendinitis, osteoarthritis, bone repair and regeneration, and plastic and oral surgery.

Related Links:
Magna Graecia University
Pugliese Ciaccio Hospital