Spinal Cord Series and Cases, 2022 · DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41394-022-00540-8 · Published: July 28, 2022
Pressure injuries are a common and serious complication for people with spinal cord injuries, impacting their quality of life. This report explores a novel treatment using Platelet-Rich Fibrin (PRF). PRF, a second-generation platelet concentrate, is derived from the patient's own blood and applied as a membrane to the wound. PRF is believed to promote healing due to its growth factors, fibrin architecture and antimicrobial properties. A 25-year-old male with a spinal cord injury and a chronic pressure injury was treated weekly with PRF membrane for four weeks. The pressure injury healed completely with no adverse events.
PRF membrane can be considered as a potential treatment option for chronic, non-healing pressure injuries in individuals with spinal cord injury.
Further randomized controlled trials are warranted to investigate the effectiveness and feasibility of PRF membrane for pressure injury healing in SCI patients compared to standard treatments.
The use of PRF may reduce the overall cost of PI management due to its minimal risk of infection, autologous nature, and potential for faster healing, but cost-effectiveness studies are needed.