Usefulness of platelet-rich plasma in pneumology The use of Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) involves a very complex network of molecular effects favoring tissue regeneration, due the presence of multiple mediators and growth factors. There are several communications about its use on the dental implantology field, plastic surgery and orthpedics. Besides, its utility has been suggested on peripheral nerves regeneration after trauma. In this article we present our experience on the use of PRP on acute injury of the respiratory system. We present a clinical series of 8 patients treated with PRP with positive response. Four of them presenting a massive hemoptysis were treated by direct endoscopic instillation of autologous PRP on the site of lesion; an immediate favorable result was obtained in all of them, without recurrence of bleeding on the follow-up period. A fifth case was a HIV seropositive patient with a spontaneous pneumothorax on intersticial pneumonia. He was treated by direct instillation of PRP through a thoracic tube. Full lung reexpansion was achieved within 72 h. Finally two patients with a respiratory fistula and another patient who suffered a traumatic tracheal rupture were treated with PRP endoscopic instillation, all of them with favorable clinical outcome. The use of autologous products as PRP has shown a good performance in all the clinical situations described, proposing it as a potentially very useful technique, particularly when a minimally invasive approach is required.

The use of PRP involves a complex network of molecular events which accelerate tissue regeneration due to its richness in growth factors plus a variety of biologic mediators. Several communications tell us about its usefulness on the dental implantology field, plastic surgery, orthopedics and peripheral nerve regeneration after trauma. We have presented our successful experience of its use in pneumology when treating severe hemoptysis, respiratory fistulae, spontaneous pneumothorax and one tracheal rupture. In this article we present two cases of post intubation tracheal rupture successfully treated with the local instillation of PRP on one of them and with the injection of PRP along the lips of the tracheal wound on the other. Tracheal rupture is a rare but life threatening complication of emergency intubation requiring an effective response in order to avoid the risk of patient death due to secondary mediastinitis and sepsis. Up to now there is no general consensus in the treatment of this condition and alternatives in use are not universally accepted. The use of local autologous PRP in our experience has demonstrated a favorable performance in such cases, turning it in a highly promising tool for the treatment of conditions such as this, in which a rapidly effective and minimally invasive handling is required.