To evaluate the effects of topical autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) on postoperative pain and wound healing in patients undergoing tonsillectomy.
Key Findings:
Patients treated with PRP experienced significantly lower pain scores (average reduction of 0.8 points on VAS) compared to control.
Pain reductions were most significant during the first 8 days postoperation.
Wound healing scores were significantly improved at postoperative days 7, 10, and 14.
Complete mucosal healing by day 14 occurred in 78% of PRP-treated patients versus 59% in the control group.
Postoperative bleeding rates were low and similar between groups.
Interpretation:
PRP may enhance healing through growth factors that promote epithelialization and tissue repair, suggesting its utility in improving early recovery after tonsillectomy.
Limitations:
Single-center design limits generalizability.
Lack of age-stratified analyses.
Limited power to detect differences in rare outcomes such as bleeding.
Conclusion:
Intraoperative PRP may be a beneficial adjunct for improving postoperative recovery in tonsillectomy, warranting further multicenter studies.
