Platelet-Rich Plasma as an Adjunctive Therapy for the Management of a Severe Chronic Distal Limb Wound in a Foal

Distal limb wounds are frequent in horses after traumatic events. The use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) represents a simple method of treating wounds in equines. A case of a chronic severely contaminated distal limb wound in an 8-month-old foal is presented. The patient was managed with the combination of standard wound therapy (debridement and bandages), surgery, and PRP obtained by a manual tube protocol. No complications were observed with the PRP treatment, and the foal was fully recovered 2 months later. The results from this case report indicate that PRP and its by-products (platelet-poor plasma) could be used as an adjunctive treatment in severe distal limb wounds in horses. A clinical controlled study should be performed to test this hypothesis.