Page 90 - GTM-3-2

Global Translational Medicine

BRIEF REPORT
Recombinant human platelet-derived growth

factor-BB-soaked gelatin sponge reduces patient
pain in palatal graft donor sites

David Meister 1 , Muhammad H. A. Saleh 2 , Hussein Basma 3 ,
Fatemeh Samavatijame 2 , and Hom-Lay Wang *
2
1 Periodontal and Implant Associates of Middle Tennessee, Franklin, Tennessee, United States of America
2 Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, School of Dentistry, University of Michigan, Ann
Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
3 Department of Periodontics, School of Dentistry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham,
Alabama, United States of America

Abstract

The free gingival graft (FGG) remains a gold standard for treating mucogingival
defects and increasing the width of keratinized tissue. However, patients receiving
FGG surgery report substantial post-operative discomfort, bleeding, and swelling,
more so than those receiving connective tissue grafts, for example, and some of these
post-operative sequelae can be difficult to manage. Various techniques are utilized
in achieving hemostasis, but no current techniques effectively reduce the pain and
discomfort to the patient. Ten FGGs were harvested from the palates of 10 patients to
treat mucogingival deficiencies elsewhere in each patient. Immediately (<1 min) after
*Corresponding author: harvesting the FGG, a gelatin sponge soaked in recombinant human platelet-derived
Hom-Lay Wang growth factor-BB (rhPDGF-BB) was placed into the wound site and sutured in place
(homlay@umich.edu) with absorbable sutures. Patients were followed up on days 3, 7, and 14 for assessing
Citation: Meister D, Saleh MHA, pain levels utilizing patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), which incorporate
Basma H, Samavatijame F, Wang the visual analog scale and the quantification of analgesics consumed. Clinically, the
H. Recombinant human platelet-
derived growth factor BB-soaked rhPDGF-BB/gelatin sponge-treated FGG palatal donor sites began to heal by day 3
gelatin sponge reduces patient pain of follow-up, and the healing was completed during the visit on day 14. No adverse
in palatal graft donor sites. Global effects, including swelling or bleeding, were observed at any of the post-surgical time
Transl Med. 2024;3(2):2693.
doi: 10.36922/gtm.2693 points. According to the visual pain score, patients experienced minor discomfort,
but no dissatisfaction was reported. Patients whose palatal FGG donor site was
Received: January 10, 2024 treated with a gelatin sponge soaked in rhPDGF-BB reported little or no post-surgery
Accepted: March 29, 2024
Published Online: June 10, 2024 discomfort and low morbidity at the donor site within 2 weeks. These findings are
in sharp contrast to the well-known substantial discomfort most patients experience
Copyright: © 2024 Author(s).
This is an Open-Access article following the harvesting of a palatal FGG. The data suggest that treating FGG palatal
distributed under the terms of the donor sites with rhPDGF-BB-soaked gelatin sponge can improve patient experience.
Creative Commons Attribution
License, permitting distribution,
and reproduction in any medium, Keywords: Pain; rhPDGF; Tissue adhesives; Wound healing; Palate
provided the original work is
properly cited.
Publisher’s Note: AccScience
Publishing remains neutral with
regard to jurisdictional claims in 1. Introduction
published maps and institutional
affiliations. Many approaches have been developed to increase the width of keratinized tissue
(KT) and/or obtain root coverage. The free gingival graft (FGG) remains the gold

Volume 3 Issue 2 (2024) 1 doi: 10.36922/gtm.2693