Growth Factors in Plastic Surgery

Recent advances in molecular biology and tissue engineering [9] have provided useful tools for improving surgery in general and plastic surgery in particular [11]. Advancing knowledge of cell function and easier ways to obtain active substances or even cells with specific activity have led to more frequent use of many surgical procedures. The active substances that participate in the restoration of damaged tissues are known as growth factors (fundamentally contained in platelets), cytokines, chemokines [16], and similar factors such as interleukines and tissue necrosis factors. Platelets, monocytes, and lymphocytes (T helper cells) as well as neutrophils and astrocytes are involved in the process. As potential cells, stem cells [15,23] also can be used, if obtained from the same patient. The authors used cells with well-known functions, which when added to the surgical procedures, seemed to promote the healing process and the restoration of damaged tissues. The simplest, most effective, and least expensive techniques were selected from trials and feasibility studies for wider use in all types of surgical procedures.