ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Chirurgia 2008 February;21(1):17-20

Copyright © 2008 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Growth factors used in healing venous ulcers

Martí X., Linares P., Bonell A., Acosta M., Llort C., Lapiedra O.

Vascular Surgery and Angiology Department Hospital General de l’Hospitalet, Barcelona, Spain

Aim. Venous ulcers (VU) are common and difficult to heal in vascular surgery, since they tend to become chronic. Platelet-derived growth factors (PDGFs) are key (elements) to this process. It is possible to obtain rich-platelet plasma (RPP) and PDGFs from it and to use it topically in the treatment of VU. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the use of PDGFs in the healing process of VU compared with traditional treatment methods.
Methods. Comparative and prospective study on 25 patients affected from VU on lower limbs split into two different groups. Group A (17 patients) received a treatment with RPP obtained and applied according to the protocol of our hospital. Group B (8 patients) received traditional healing methods. None of the groups gave evidence of significant differences (p>0,05) except for the depth of the wound, which was bigger on group A. Average time until cure (ATUC) was considered in both groups, as well as the relation between ATUC and the average evolution time (AET) in both groups. Data processing was made through the SPSS 9.0 statistics program for Windows.
Results. Statistically significant differences were not found between the ATUC of both groups. A statistically significant difference was found in the relation between the ATUC and the AET in group A (p<0,05), not being significant on group B.
Conclusion. The use of RPP and its PDGFs in long-term VU can be an effective therapeutic alternative to traditional cures, allowing a faster healing.