The Effect of Hyaluronic Acid and Platelet - Rich Plasma on Soft Tissue Wound Healing: An Experimental Study on Rabbits

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the benefits of using platelet– rich plasma and hyaluronic acid when used alone or in combination with each other on wound healing. Materials and methods: The study performed on 15 adult male rabbits divided into three group according to healing periods (3,7,14 days), each group containing 5 animals. Four longitudinal incisions were made on the back of each rabbit, 2 in the right and 2 in the left. A distance of about 1.5 cm was left between one incision and another. The defects were filled with platelet–rich plasma, hyaluronic acid, or mixture of both, and the last incision served as control. Animals were sacrificed at 3rd, 7th, and 14th day after intervention, and biopsy were taken. Histopathological analyses were performed to evaluate the effect of these materials on acceleration of wound healing of skin. Statistical analyses was performed with Analysis of Variance and Duncan's Multiple Range Analysis Test, using a significant level of p ≤ 0.01. Results: Histopatho-logical analysis revealed significant improvement of wound healing when treated with PRP, and with mixed application of PRP and HA compared with control and HA groups in 3rd and 7th day postope-ratively, while there was no significant differences in wound healing between all groups at the end of the second week. Conclusions: The use of PRP alone or in combination with HA will accelerate wound healing , while the use of low concentration of HA alone presents no improvement of wound healing in comparison with normal one.