Biological and Mechanical Properties of Platelet-Rich Fibrin Membranes after Thermal Manipulation and Preparation in a Single-Syringe Closed System

Abstract

Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) membrane is a three-dimensional biodegradable biopolymer, which consists of platelet derived growth factors enhancing cell adhesion and proliferation. It is widely used in soft and hard tissue regeneration, however, there are unresolved problems with its clinical application. Its preparation needs open handling of the membranes, it degrades easily, and it has a low tensile strength which does not hold a suture blocking wider clinical applications of PRF. Our aim was to produce a sterile, suturable, reproducible PRF membrane suitable for surgical intervention. We compared the biological and mechanical properties of PRF membranes created by the classical glass-tube and those that were created in a single-syringe closed system (hypACT Inject), which allowed aseptic preparation. HypACT Inject device produces a PRF membrane with better handling characteristics without compromising biological properties. Freeze-thawing resulted in significantly higher tensile strength and higher cell adhesion at a lower degradation rate of the membranes. Mesenchymal stem cells seeded onto PRF membranes readily proliferated on the surface of fresh, but even better on freeze/thawed or freeze-dried membranes. These data show that PRF membranes can be made sterile, more uniform and significantly stronger which makes it possible to use them as suturable surgical membranes.

Mechanical and structural properties of leukocyte‐ and platelet‐rich fibrin membranes: An in vitro study on the impact of anticoagulant therapy

“…The E‐modulus of the control membranes in the current study was 0.07 MPa and is comparable (Table 4) to the results of one study found in literature., 15 but lower than the results reported in two other studies and higher than a fourth study 16‐18 . The ultimate tensile strength of the control membranes was 0.29 MPa, which is higher than reports of the strength of L‐PRF in multiple other studies 15,17‐19 . The elongation at break of the control membranes in the current study was about 2.8 times their initial length, which is higher, comparable, and lower than three other studies that recorded an elongation of 1.45, 2.17, and ± 3.50, respectively 15,16,19 .…”

“…In short, the current results of tensile testing are quite similar or differ slightly from results obtained in other studies 15,17‐19 . All previously mentioned studies had different protocols for blood centrifugation and tensile testing though, 15‐19 which makes any comparison difficult (Table 4). The time of blood centrifugation, the g‐force of the centrifuge, the shape of the L‐PRF membrane (rectangular or dog bone shaped) with tensile testing and the crosshead speed of the tensile test have to be taken into consideration.…”

“…The elongation at break of the control membranes in the current study was about 2.8 times their initial length, which is higher, comparable, and lower than three other studies that recorded an elongation of 1.45, 2.17, and ± 3.50, respectively 15,16,19 . In short, the current results of tensile testing are quite similar or differ slightly from results obtained in other studies 15,17‐19 . All previously mentioned studies had different protocols for blood centrifugation and tensile testing though, 15‐19 which makes any comparison difficult (Table 4).…”

“…The ultimate tensile strength of the control membranes was 0.29 MPa, which is higher than reports of the strength of L‐PRF in multiple other studies 15,17‐19 . The elongation at break of the control membranes in the current study was about 2.8 times their initial length, which is higher, comparable, and lower than three other studies that recorded an elongation of 1.45, 2.17, and ± 3.50, respectively 15,16,19 . In short, the current results of tensile testing are quite similar or differ slightly from results obtained in other studies 15,17‐19 .…”

Biofunctionalization of porcine-derived collagen matrices with platelet rich fibrin: influence on angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo

“…This was out of two main reasons. First, in mechanical and degradation analyses, the stable PRF membrane showed sufficient stability for the indication as a bioactive barrier membrane for alveolar bone tissue regeneration [39,40]. Secondly, it was shown that it resulted in a better distribution of platelets throughout the PRF matrix in the upper 4-5 mL and is therefore clinically recommended for membrane fabrication.…”