Evaluation of Platelet-Rich Fibrin (PRF) as an Adjunct in Oral Surgical Wound Healing at Imo State University Teaching Hospital

Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) is an autologous platelet concentrate prepared from the patient's own blood and used as a surgical adjunct to promote tissue regeneration and enhance wound healing. Its application in oral surgery, particularly for socket preservation after extraction and management of alveolar osteitis, has attracted growing interest in Nigerian teaching hospital settings. This prospective clinical evaluation assesses the effect of PRF application on wound healing outcomes following surgical third molar extraction at Imo State University Teaching Hospital (IMSUTH), South East Nigeria. Sixty patients scheduled for bilateral impacted third molar extraction were enrolled in a split-mouth design, with PRF placed in one socket and conventional blood clot healing used as the control in the contralateral extraction site. Outcome variables assessed at one, two, and four weeks include pain scores, swelling, trismus, alveolar osteitis incidence, and wound healing grade using a visual assessment scale. Results demonstrate that PRF-treated sockets exhibited significantly reduced pain and swelling scores at one and two weeks, with no cases of alveolar osteitis in the PRF group compared to 10% in the control group. The study supports PRF as a cost-effective, safe, and locally preparable adjunct for third molar wound management in resource-limited settings. Recommendations include the development of PRF preparation protocols for routine use in oral surgery theatres in South East Nigeria. Keywords: platelet-rich fibrin, wound healing, third molar, alveolar osteitis, oral surgery adjunct.