Published online Nov 26, 2024. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v12.i33.6635
Revised: August 17, 2024
Accepted: September 2, 2024
Published online: November 26, 2024
Processing time: 88 Days and 11.6 Hours
Wound healing is a complicated process that can be heavily influenced by patient comorbidities, in some cases leading to a chronic non-healing wound. Evidence presented in the medical literature supporting the clinical use of autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in treatment of such wounds is becoming increasingly compelling. Mechanisms involved include complex interactions between the patient’s thrombocytes, cytokines, and growth factors.
We present a case of a 72-year-old male patient with a long-standing chronic wound and multiple comorbidities. Over the course of more than 7 months, the patient was unsuccessfully treated with all routinely used measures, including different dressing approaches. Multiple antibiotic regimens were administered for wound infection, with repeated evaluation of microbiological swab results. Finally, after three PRP applications, the wound showed clinical improvement with complete restitution of the epithelial layer of the skin.
PRP treatment may be beneficial to reduce healing time in chronic wounds.
Core Tip: Chronic wounds present a huge burden on healthcare systems worldwide, and diminish the quality of life of affected patients tremendously. Chronic wounds are often a source of frustration for attending clinicians as well, since many different types of dressings and other forms of conservative therapy and surgical debridement are used. We believe that local platelet-rich plasma (PRP) application is an easily performed procedure that could be offered to patients with chronic wounds after the failure of standard dressing-type procedures. We also believe that other more invasive regenerative treatment options should be postponed until after PRP is attempted.