Regenerative Medicine in the Treatment of Traumatic Skin Wounds in Dogs and Cats Using Platelet-rich Fibrin (PRF) Therapy

Abstract

Regenerative medicine has gained prominence in recent decades and originated from the growing need for medical intervention in degenerative diseases associated with age. This need is believed to be enhanced also by the increase in the average life expectancy of pets, aliased with the growing social integration of pets into human lives, and the development of specialized veterinary medical care. Platelet-rich products, such as platelet-rich fibrin (PRF), have received attention in clinical veterinary settings. PRF therapy has been proposed for the treatment of skin wounds of various etiologies. Traumatic skin wounds are a frequent occurrence in veterinary practice, constituting an opportunity for PRF therapy application, as an adjunct to medical and surgical treatments. The PRF biomaterial is a hemoderivative obtained after single whole-blood centrifugation. In the process, platelets and leukocytes are activated, resulting in a fibrin clot rich in growth factors and cytokines. Considering the young age of PRF regenerative therapy, it is imperative to promote well-characterized PRF biomaterials using standardized preparation methods in both clinical and research scenarios. This step is critical to promote the comparison and allow a critical analysis of platelet-based therapies, allowing its development and rational clinical use.