Evaluation of postoperative drainage with application of platelet-rich and platelet-poor plasma following hemithyroidectomy: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

Background: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and platelet-poor plasma (PPP) have been used to improve hemostasis and wound healing after surgery; however, randomized controlled trials proving their efficacy are lacking.

Methods: Hemithyroidectomy was performed on 52 patients. Autologous PRP and PPP were applied during wound closure in the treatment group, while saline was applied in the controls. Outcome measures were postoperative drainage, pain, analgesic use, and length of hospital stay.

Results: The 24-hour cumulative drainage was reduced by 29.3% in the treatment group (44.9 mL vs 63.5 mL, p = .039). The treatment group required less analgesic medication despite similar pain scores; however, the difference was not significant. There was a trend toward decreased length of stay for the PRP/PPP group (p = .059).

Conclusions: Hemithyroidectomy served as a stringent test to evaluate the wound-healing capacity of platelet-rich and platelet-poor plasma. This study provides evidence that PRP and PPP reduced postoperative drainage in soft-tissue surgery.