Application effects of platelet-rich plasma on healing of scalp donor sites in patients with deep burn

KUANG Jiangbo; WANG Yongfei; XU Xisheng; CHEN Kai; LI Botong; WANG Qiong; LI Xiaofang

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1673-7040.2025.07.011

Abstract：Objective To evaluate the clinical effect of platelet-rich plasma(PRP)in promoting wound healing at scalp donor sites for deep burn patients.Methods In this prospective study,60 patients with deep burns requiring split-thickness skin grafting were enrolled from the Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery at Chenzhou First People's Hospital between April 2021 and October 2022.Par-ticipants were randomly divided into two groups using a random number table:the control group(n=30)received standard care with Vase-line gauze coverage on the scalp donor sites post-harvesting,while the observation group(n=30)underwent PRP application before Vase-line gauze coverage.Outcome measures included:Visual Analog Scale(VAS)scores for donor site pain on postoperative days 1,3,5,and 7;Time to complete donor site healing;Interval between two consecutive scalp harvests;Vancouver Scar Scale(VSS)scores for recipient site scars at 6 months follow-up.Results The VAS scores of the two groups of patients showed a downward trend over time after the opera-tion,and the comparison between the groups showed that the pain scores the observation group on the 1st,3rd and 5th days after the opera-tion were 5(4.00～6.00)points,4(3.75～5.00)points and 2(1.75～3.25)points,respectively,which were significantly lower than those the control group 6(5.00～6.00)points,5(5.00～6.00)points and 3(3.00～4.25)points,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).On the 7th day after the,the pain scores of the two groups were 0(0～1.00)points and 0(0～1.00)points,respectively,and there no statisti-cally significant difference between the two groups(P＞0.05).The complete healing time of the skin graft area in the observation group was 5(5.00～6.00)days,and in the control group was 7(7.00～8.00)days.The two skin graft operations both selected the scalp as the skin graft area.interval between the two operations in the observation group was 7(7.00～8.00)days,and that in the control group was 9(7.75～9.00)days,with a significant statistical difference(P＜0.05).During the follow-up period of 6 months the operation,there was no scar hyperplasia in the skin graft area of the head in the control group and the observation group,the hair growth was good,and there was scar alopecia.The Vancouver score of the two groups was 0.5(0～1.00)points in the observation group and 1(0～1.25)points in the control group,with a significant statistical difference(P＜0.05).Conclusion The application of PRP in scalp donor sites may significantly accel-erate wound healing,shorten the intervals between two grafting operations,reduce the pain of patients,and avoid scar hyperplasia or alopecia in the skin donor area,which is worthy of clinical promotion.