ASSESSMENT OF EFFECT OF STORAGE TIME ON PLATELET CONCENTRATION OF PRF: IN VITRO STUDY

Introduction:The ability of PRF to sustain its platelet concentrate over the tested time may have significant clinical implications. Blood drawn before the start of the procedure and stored as PRF improves patient comfort and saves operator time, since no specialised equipment or storage facilities are required. Aim: To determine whether storage time has a significant effect on the platelet concentration of platelet-rich fibrin (PRF). Materials and Methods: A total of 10 healthy participants were enrolled into the study. From all the participants, three separate blood samples were collected by venepuncture. Two of the blood samples were centrifuged to form PRF. Formed PRF was removed from the respective test tubes at different time intervals - immediately after centrifugation (Group A) and after 60 min of storage time in the blood collecting tube (Group B). The residual blood from each group was tested for platelet concentration and comparison was made with non-centrifuged baseline sample (Group C). Results: The residual mean platelet concentration of Group A was higher than that determined for Group B. The results from this study indicate that there was a significant difference in the mean platelet concentration of PRF when stored for 0 and 60 minutes. Conclusion : The study concluded that clot disintegration does not take place after 15 minutes of storage, but rather remains stable over a period of at least 60 minutes and may in fact increase in platelet concentration during that time.