Experimental study on healing of long bone defects treated with fibrin membrane enriched with platelet growth factors and periosteal mesenchymal stem cells in rabbit: Radiographical and histopathological evaluations

The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of platelet growth factors and periosteal mesenchymal stem cells on bone healing process, radiographically. Forty male White New Zealand rabbits in five equal groups were used in this study. A 2 mm full thickness bone defect was made in left radial bone of each animal. In group A (control) the defect was left with no medical intervention. In group B the defect was covered by a fibrin membrane. In group C the defect was covered by a fibrin membrane plus platelet growth factors. In group D the defect was covered by a fibrin membrane plus periosteal mesenchymal stem cells, and in group E the defect was covered by a fibrin membrane enriched with platelet growth factors and periosteal mesenchymal stem cells. Radiological evaluation was done immediately after surgery (week 0) and then at the 1(st), 2(nd), 4(th), 6(th) and 8(th) weeks after operation. At the end of the eighth week, bone samples were taken to evaluate the histopathology. The radiological and histopathological observations showed a superior bone healing in the groups D and E, after eight weeks in comparison with the groups A, B and C. According to this study, it could be concluded that the platelet growth factors and periosteal mesenchymal stem cells could promote bone regeneration in long bone defects in a rabbit model.