Autologous platelet gel is a substance that is created by pheresing platelet-rich plasma (PRP) from the patient's blood prior to surgery and combining it with thrombin and calcium to form a coagulum. This coagulum or "platelet gel" has an extremely wide-range of clinical healing uses from dental surgery to orthopedics and plastic surgery. Autologous platelet gel should ONLY be prepared by or under the direction of a certified and (or) licensed clinical perfusionist.

Primary component of origin

Platelets.

Percent of component

Percentages will vary depending upon size and condition of patient, process used to make the gel, as well as for which particular medical procedure it is needed. Below is just one example:

The PRP, comprises of approximately 10% of the total blood volume withdrawn and has platelet counts of 500,000-3,000,000/mm³. This is the solution used to make the Platelet Gel.

Production

Platelets are separated from 30 mL to 55 mL of whole autologous blood collected from a patient preoperatively, preferably 45 minutes to one hour before induction of anesthesia. The blood is separated via a single, 12-minute centrifuge spin, which collects approximately 6-mL of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and 30-mL PPP per 55 mL of separated whole blood.

Medicinal Value

Treating diabetic ulcers, bone augmentation and fusion, surgical dehiscience, venous stasis uclers as well as to improve granulation formation and wound closure; also used beneficially on burns, neurosurgery, ob-gyn, oral maxillo facial, orthopedics, plastic and cosmetic surgery, as well as other surgical procedures where acute bleeding or fluid discharge may be prevalent.
Source: SafeBlood Technologies™

Risks

Contraindications
Patient selection is crucial :
•Platelet dysfunction syndrome (as diagnosed by an M.D.}
•Critical thrombocytopenia
•Hemodynamically unstable
•Pregnancy

Pharmaceuticals, found in

Some devices used to make Autologous platelet gel:

Alternatives

Generic Name: Becaplermin - Designed to mimic naturally-occurring PDGF, (platelet-derived growth factors), becaplermin is man-made using recombinant DNA technology.

Brand Name: Regranex® - A genetically engineered platelet-derived growth factor that mimics a protein that occurs naturally in the body.

Factoids

Physiological Components of Platelet Gel:
Derived From The Patient’s Own Blood-

Growth Factors
- PDGF (Platelet derived growth factor)
- TGF-α& β(Transforming growth factor alpha & beta)
- EGF (Epidermal growth factor)
- FGF (Fibroblast growth factor)
- IGF (Insulin growth factor)
- PDAF (platelet derived angiogenesis factor)