The effect of platelet-rich plasma on chondrocyte healing traumatic dislocation of the hip in the rat model

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to isolate Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) which is rich in growth factors providing differantion and maturation of pluripotent cells including the cartilage from rat blood through autologous methods, and to investigate the effect of PRP on healing in femoroacetabular cartilages of the rats on which experimental traumatic hip dislocation (THD) was created. The present study was designed on histopathological analysis of the cartilaginous tissue; and the chondrocytes undergoing apoptosis would be detected through Terminal Deoxynucleotidly Transferase Mediated dUTP Nick End Labeling (TUNEL) method. Material and method: The present study includes in vivo and in vitro experimental trials. Twenty four 20 to 24-week old mature male Sprague-Dawley rats with body weights between 324 and 617 grams (g) enrolled into the study were divided into 3 groups. Eight subjects were included into each group. The right hips of the subjects were kept as dislocated for a certain period, and then placed, and PRP was administrated; left hip was also kept dislocated as long as the right hip and then placed onto the site. Phosphate buffered saline (PBS) solution (approx. 20 µl) was added into PRP to create an actual control group. PBS solution was injected onto the left hip with a similar quantity (50 µl) injected into the right hip. The force applied was minimized during hip dislocation of the rats to prevent mechanical injury on the cartilage. The tissues obtained from the hips of the subjects were examined after 7 days. Apoptotic index (AI) of right and left femur head chondrocytes of each rat was calculated. Findings: It was found that initial body weights as well as body weight at day 7 were significantly lower. There was not any association between AI and body weight at day 7, weight changes, subject age, operation period. AI values were detected as follows; 0.01±0.01 (mean±standard deviation) in group 1a; 0.03±0.01 in group 1b; 0.02±0.01 in group 2a; 0.08±0.02 in group 2b; 0.05±0.01 in group 3a; 0.1±0.02 in group 3b. A significant association in AI was found between experimental and control groups (p<0.05). Comparison of each main groups with their experimental and control subgroups revealed that decrease of AI between the subgroups themselves were statistically significant except subgroups 1a and 1b. A significant difference was detected between all groups except subgroups 1a and 2a when all experimental and control subgroups were compared among themselves. Conclusion: PRP is a promising, repeatable and alternative treatment method for THD treatment; and considerable results were obtained to reduce apoptosis of the chondrocytes. We believe that PRP would be useful to prevent long term complications along with early reduction for the patients with THD. Key Words: Traumatic, Hip, Dislocation, Platelet, Apoptosis, PRP