Skin Graft Storage in Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP)

Storage of skin grafts for later use is one of the standard applications in surgery. It is the most preferred method to maintain at +4 degrees C in refrigeration after wrapping the surplus grafts into sterile gauze pad moistened with saline. Although there are many studies on the storage of skin grafts, less is known about storing skin grafts with PRP. Twenty-five pieces of 1 x 1 cm(2) partial thickness skin graft were harvested from 12 patients during the reduction mammoplasty operation. Twenty-four grafts were divided into 4 groups, and each group consisted of 6 grafts, 1 graft was analyzed as Day 0. Grafts in Group 1, 2, and 3 were wrapped by sterile gauze pad moistened by either saline (Group 1) or Hartman (Group 2) or PRP (Group 3). Grafts were analyzed macroscopically and microscopically. There were no significant differences between media for the first 10 days. Decrease in viability was less in saline and PRP wrapped grafts at 20 day, viability decreased significantly in all environments after 20 days. Although there was no significant difference in saline or PRP storage, it was observed macroscopically that the grafts stored in the PRP appeared better.