Assessment of Bone Healing Kinetics in Goats Treated with Platelet-Rich Plasma Combined with Standard Fracture Fixation in Ondo State

Platelet-rich plasma contains concentrated growth factors that may enhance osteogenesis and accelerate fracture healing when applied as an adjunct to standard internal fixation methods in ruminants. This study analytically assesses bone healing kinetics in goats with experimentally induced midshaft tibial fractures treated with intramedullary pinning alone versus intramedullary pinning combined with autologous platelet-rich plasma at the Federal University of Technology Akure veterinary research facility in Ondo State, South West Nigeria, between March 2022 and February 2024. Twenty-four West African Dwarf goats were randomized into two equal groups. Platelet-rich plasma was prepared by double centrifugation and verified for platelet concentration before surgical application. Radiographic assessment was performed biweekly for 12 weeks. Bone healing kinetics were evaluated by cortical bridging score, periosteal callus volume, and time to radiographic union. Serum alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin levels were measured as biochemical markers of bone turnover. Platelet-rich plasma-treated fractures demonstrated significantly earlier periosteal callus formation at week four and achieved radiographic union at a mean of 7.2 weeks compared to 9.8 weeks in the control group. Serum alkaline phosphatase levels were significantly elevated in the platelet-rich plasma group at weeks two and four. No adverse tissue reactions at the application site were recorded. These findings support the adjunctive use of platelet-rich plasma in goat fracture repair and provide foundational data for clinical application in ruminant orthopedics in South Western Nigeria. Keywords: platelet-rich plasma, fracture healing, goat orthopedics, Ondo State, bone healing.