Ocular surgical use of autologous platelet‐rich plasma

Abstract

AbstractEye platelet‐rich plasma (E‐PRP) concentrates platelets in a small volume of plasma which contains a high concentration of important growth factors and cell adhesion molecules. These cell adhesion molecules and growth factors occupy a major role in wound healing and enhance the physiological procedure at the site of the injury or the surgery. Platelet‐rich plasma in the form obtained in ophthalmology, E‐PRP, is a reliable and effective surgical coadjuvant to promote corneal wound healing in severe corneal ulcers and corneal perforations and may be associated with other ocular surface reconstruction procedures.Actually, platelet‐rich plasma (E‐PRP) offers new surgical perspectives in many fields of medicine helping in wound healing, it represents a greater similarity to the natural healing process as a composite of multiple growth factors, is safe due to its autologous nature and has both mitogenic and chemotactic properties. E‐PRP functions as a drug delivery system and a tissue sealant.The α‐granules within these platelets liberate platelet‐derived growth factors, platelet‐derived growth factor BB (PDGF‐BB), transforming growth factor β1 (TGF‐β1), epidermal growth factor (EGF), and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF‐A) which have an important anti‐inflammatory action. It has many ocular surface applications such as in dry eye, dormant corneal ulcers, and it is also used surgically as a sutured clot of autologous fibrin membrane in big neurotrophic corneal ulcers or imminent/already perforated eyes.There are new uses of E‐PRP such as the intracameral application of E‐PRP for different purposes or injection into the lacrimal glands. All of them with the aim of improving the functionality of damaged eye tissue.