General reviews
EVALUATION OF THE PRINCIPLES FOR OBTAINING AND USING PLATELET-RICH PLASMA

Summary

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is by definition an autologous plasma product with a higher concentration of platelets than that of collected blood. It is a modern treatment, which has already earned a place among the most used products in the category of orthobiologics. Platelets are key elements in tissue repair processes. They release numerous growth factors, stimulate fibroblasts and endothelial cells, and can trigger the anagen phase. The principle behind obtaining PRP by centrifugation is that it causes the platelets to settle in the deep layer of the plasma, thus separating them from the superficial layer. The optimal concentration of platelets in separated plasma has not yet been established, despite the many studies performed to date and the variety of fields in which PRP has been used. However, the most important factors that influence cell proliferation have been established, and their observance allows the use of platelet concentrations close to the upper limit of the optimal range: 3.7×106 plt/µL. From the point of view of medical ethics, procedures using PRP must be supported by the diagnosis and pathogenic mechanism of the condition to be treated, and the quality of the devices used must be supported by clear evidence of platelet concentration, purity and viability. The interest shown by patients for this type of treatment has caused the global market for PRP to have a significant growth and, starting from the value of 2017 ($195.2 million), with an annual percentage increase estimated at 11.6%, this will reach approximately 715.65 million dollars in 2030.