Platelet-rich plasma consists of two elements: the liquid part of plasma or blood and platelets, a type of blood cell that plays a significant role in healing in the body. Platelets are well-known for their ability to clot, but they also contain growth factors that can trigger cell growth and stimulate tissue regeneration or healing in the treated area. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is blood with a higher concentration of platelets than normal. To create PRP, a physician takes a blood sample from the patient and concentrates the platelets in the plasma by separating them from other components using a centrifuge device. Platelet-rich plasma is then injected into the area where treatment is needed.
Platelet-rich plasma autologous therapy is an advanced regenerative medicine technique that uses the patient's own platelet concentrate to initiate the body's natural healing process. It is widely used in various fields such as sports medicine, orthopedics, oral and maxillofacial surgery, and aesthetic treatments for various problems like hair loss and acne. PRP preparation requires four main steps: blood collection or extraction, centrifugation, and application via injection.
Blood Collection
Blood is drawn from the patient's arm using a syringe. The blood, mixed with an anticoagulant in the PRP tube, is gently agitated several times before entering the centrifuge device.
Centrifugation
This is the most crucial part of the PRP treatment procedure. This process will separate platelets from other blood components such as neutrophils, monocytes, cytokines, and stem cells. There are three common separation techniques:
Gel separator – Using a separation gel, higher-density platelets and plasma will be isolated from red blood cells and white blood cells. This system generally produces the lowest platelet count compared to other PRP procedures.
Buffy coat – There are kits that produce a visible thin layer called buffy coat containing a significant amount of leukocytes along with a high concentration of platelets.
Double-spin buffy coat – This system adds a second spin to the whole blood to further remove red blood cells from the PRP solution. In a single spin, you still need to remove the buffy coat from RBCs.
Choosing the Best PRP Kit
Answering the critical question of which is the best PRP kit for PRP treatment is essential. Platelet-rich plasma therapy is a rapidly evolving autologous treatment in medical and cosmetic applications. Any clinic offering the treatment must have a good PRP kit to properly fractionate blood components and obtain autologous platelets for PRP injection. Care must be taken when selecting effective kits for PRP treatment.
So, what features should you look for when purchasing a PRP kit? In any PRP treatment, it is essential to use a PRP product rich in growth factor components to stimulate wound healing and tissue repair. One should not overlook the diameter of the centrifuge device and the RPM values required for the process of obtaining PRP.
Identifying the Right PRP Kit
Identifying the right kit for PRP treatment is of great importance. The centrifuge device should not only separate the plasma part of the blood but also be able to provide the desired platelet concentration for injection. Incorrect choices can result in plasma with very low or no platelet counts and devoid of essential growth factors. This can vary depending on the patient profile.
Since a pure PRP is required for injection, a system that guarantees protection of the platelet solution from infectious agents such as bacteria and viruses should also be considered. Ideally, the kit should have a ventilation cap that can be used to cover the fluffy feather while drawing, and an all-in-one system where the syringe can also serve as the centrifuge tube can help reduce the risk of air contamination during blood transfer.