PRP Centrifuge - Principle, Types, Parts, Applications

PRP Centrifuge is a specialized medical and laboratory device that is used to extract and concentrate Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) from the patient’s own blood.

It works by spinning the blood sample at high speed. During this process, centrifugal force separates the blood components according to their specific density.

The heavier red blood cells (RBCs) sink at the bottom and the lighter plasma remains at the upper part. A concentrated middle layer is formed which contains platelets and white blood cells. This layer is known as buffy coat.

This concentrated platelet layer contains natural growth factors and healing proteins. The separated PRP is used in regenerative therapies like orthopedics, dentistry, wound healing and aesthetics. It helps in tissue repair, reduce inflammation and promotes natural healing process of the body.

Working principle of PRP Centrifuge

Working principle of PRP Centrifuge is based on the principle of sedimentation and centrifugal force. When the patient’s whole blood sample is placed in the PRP centrifuge, it is rotated at high controlled speed. Due to this fast rotation, the blood components are separated according to their density and specific gravity.

During this process, the heavy component like red blood cells (RBCs) moves towards the bottom of the tube. The lighter part, plasma, remains at the upper layer. In between these two layers, a thin concentrated layer is formed which contains platelets and white blood cells (WBCs).

This middle layer is known as buffy coat. It contains high concentration of platelets and is used for preparation of platelet-rich plasma (PRP). Thus, the centrifuge separates the blood mechanically and helps to isolate the platelet rich portion for different regenerative and therapeutic uses.

Types of PRP Centrifuge

Types of PRP Centrifuge

Different types of PRP centrifuge are mentioned below-

1. Fixed-Angle Centrifuge
In this type, the blood tubes are held at a fixed angle during spinning. The angle is generally about 30 to 45 degree.

The centrifugal force pushes the blood cells diagonally towards the wall of the tube. It can reach high speed, but sometimes the separated cells may mix again when the machine stops. It may also cause mechanical stress on the platelets.

2. Swing-Out Centrifuge
Swing-out centrifuge has tube buckets which move horizontally during spinning. In this type, the blood components are pushed straight towards the bottom of the tube.

It forms flat and stable layers of separated blood. This type gives more precise separation and it can recover high amount of platelets from patient blood.

3. Closed PRP System
Closed PRP system is a sealed and automated system. In this system, the blood does not come in contact with the outside environment.

It reduces the chances of infection and bacterial contamination. It is more sterile and reliable, but it is generally costly.

4. Open PRP System
Open PRP system is a manual type of system. In this system, the blood sample is transferred manually from one tube or container to another.

It is cheaper and gives flexibility to adjust the platelet concentration. But it has more chance of contamination and human error.

5. Single-Spin Centrifuge
Single-spin centrifuge processes the blood in one cycle only. This spin is also called soft spin.

It is fast, simple and requires less technical skill. But it gives lower concentration of platelets as compared to double-spin method.

6. Double-Spin Centrifuge
Double-spin centrifuge uses two spinning steps. In the first slow spin, red blood cells (RBCs) are separated from the plasma.

In the second fast spin, the platelets are packed into a concentrated pellet. This method takes more time but produces more concentrated and potent PRP. It is mostly used in joint and orthopedic treatment.

7. Portable or Mini Centrifuge
Portable centrifuge is small and light weight type of PRP centrifuge. It has small size and can be used in mobile clinics or field work.

It has lower capacity and slower speed. It is mainly useful for small amount of blood processing.

8. Benchtop Centrifuge
Benchtop centrifuge is a larger and stationary machine. It is commonly used in laboratory and clinical set up.

It can process more amount of blood and has variable speed. Some benchtop centrifuges also have digital programming and cooling system.

9. Automated PRP System
Automated PRP system works with advanced technology. It can detect the different layers of blood components during the process.

It separates plasma, platelets and red blood cells into separate sterile bags without much manual handling. This system reduces manual error.

10. Manual PRP System
Manual PRP system needs a skilled technician. In this method, the buffy coat or platelet-rich layer is identified visually.

Then it is carefully collected by using a syringe. This method is simple but it depends more on the skill of the operator.

Parts of PRP Centrifuge

The following are the main parts of PRP centrifuge–

Motor or Drive System– Motor is the main power source of PRP centrifuge. It is used to spin the blood samples at high speed. Most centrifuge use brushless DC motor (BLDC).

Rotor– Rotor is the central spinning part of the centrifuge. It holds the blood tubes during centrifugation. It may be fixed-angle rotor or swing-out rotor.
Tube Holders or Buckets– Tube holders are the compartments where blood collection tubes are placed. These are attached to the rotor. In swing-out type, these are also called buckets.
Microprocessor– Microprocessor is the internal controlling part of the machine. It controls the rotational speed, time and processing protocols.

Control Interface– Control interface is the LCD screen or touch panel of the centrifuge. It is used to set and monitor RPM, RCF, time, acceleration and deceleration.
Housing and Guard Bowl– Housing is the outer covering of the centrifuge. Guard bowl is the inner protective bowl. It helps to contain broken tube pieces if tube breakage occurs.
Lid and Automatic Lid Lock– Lid is the upper cover of the centrifuge. Automatic lid lock prevents the machine from starting when the lid is not closed. It also keeps the lid locked during spinning.

Imbalance Sensors– Imbalance sensors detect improper balancing of tubes. If the tubes are not counterbalanced properly, the machine stops automatically.
Shock Isolators or Damping System– Shock isolators reduce vibration during spinning and stopping. It helps to keep the separated blood layers stable.
Emergency Release– Emergency release is a manual opening system. It is used to open the lid and remove the blood samples during power failure.

Operating procedure of PRP Centrifuge

The following points detail the process of operating PRP Centrifuge:

Collect 10 to 20 ml blood from the patient in sterile collection tube.
The collection tube should contain anticoagulant like sodium citrate or ACD-A to prevent clotting of blood.

Invert the tube gently for few times so that blood and anticoagulant mix properly.
Place the blood tube in the centrifuge rotor and place another tube of same weight or same volume in opposite side.
Close the lid properly and run the centrifuge at low speed, about 160 g to 300 g or nearly 1500 RPM for 5 to 15 minutes.

After first centrifugation, three layers are formed in the tube.
Red blood cells (RBCs) are settled at the bottom, platelet poor plasma (PPP) remains at upper part and buffy coat is present in the middle.
Take the upper plasma layer and buffy coat carefully by sterile syringe and transfer it into another sterile tube.

Place this tube again in the centrifuge and run at high speed, about 400 g to 700 g or nearly 3000 RPM for 10 to 17 minutes.
After second centrifugation, platelets are collected at the bottom as soft pellet.
Remove the upper part of platelet poor plasma (PPP) and discard it.

Mix the platelet pellet gently with small amount of remaining plasma, about 2 to 5 ml.
The final product obtained is platelet-rich plasma (PRP), which is used for treatment purpose.

Applications of PRP Centrifuge

The following are the applications of PRP centrifuge–

PRP centrifuge is used in orthopedics and sports medicine. It is used for treatment of osteoarthritis mainly in knee and hip joints. It is also used in tendinopathies such as tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, Achilles tendonitis and rotator cuff tears.

It is used in ligament injury and muscle injury. It also helps to accelerate the healing of bone fracture.
PRP centrifuge is used in aesthetic dermatology for skin rejuvenation. The prepared platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is applied in cosmetic treatment like vampire facial. It helps to stimulate collagen production and improve skin tone and texture.
It is used to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. It is also used in pigmentary disorders such as melasma and vitiligo.

PRP centrifuge is used in scar treatment. It helps in remodeling and reduction of acne scar, surgical scar, atrophic scar, hypertrophic scar and keloidal scar.
It is used in hair restoration. The PRP is injected to stimulate hair follicles and prolong the active growth phase of hair. It also improves hair thickness in androgenetic alopecia and alopecia areata.
It is used in dentistry and oral surgery. It helps to enhance bone grafting, speed up healing in sinus lift procedure and improve dental implant integration. This integration is also called osseointegration.

It is used to preserve bone in tooth extraction site. This helps in better healing after dental extraction.
PRP centrifuge is used in wound healing. It accelerates healing of acute injuries, surgical wounds and chronic non-healing wounds. Some examples are diabetic foot ulcer and venous leg ulcer.
It is used in gynecology and urogynecology. It is used for ovarian rejuvenation and endometrial repair. It is also used in Asherman’s syndrome, chronic endometritis, vulvovaginal atrophy, stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse.

It is used in sexual wellness treatment. It is used for regenerative treatment in sexual dysfunction. P-Shot is used in male and O-Shot is used in female.
PRP centrifuge is used in ophthalmology. It supports corneal healing and is used in recurrent corneal erosion.
It is used in neurology for nerve repair. It acts as neurotrophic and biomimetic scaffold for peripheral nerve injuries. It is also used in carpal tunnel syndrome and chronic neuropathic pain.

It is also used in general laboratory processing. It can be used for cell and tissue processing, clinical chemistry, coagulation testing, cytology and urinalysis.

Advantages of PRP Centrifuge

The following are the advantages of PRP centrifuge–

PRP centrifuge is used for precise blood separation. It separates whole blood into different layers according to their density. In this process, platelets and white blood cells are separated from red blood cells and platelet-poor plasma.
It gives high platelet yield. Good quality PRP centrifuge, mainly with swing-out horizontal rotor, forms stable and flat separation layers. This helps in maximum extraction of platelets and platelet recovery may be up to 90%.

PRP centrifuge helps in cellular preservation. Adjustable speed, proper relative centrifugal force (RCF) and controlled braking are used to handle platelets, leukocytes and growth factors gently.
It prevents damage of cells and premature activation of platelets. So, the quality of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) remains better.
It gives reproducible and consistent result. Digital display, microprocessor and programmable memory setting reduce human error. So the concentration and quality of PRP remains almost same from one patient to another.

PRP centrifuge increases safety and sterility. Modern centrifuge has electric lid lock, rotor imbalance sensor and reinforced guard bowl. These parts help to prevent accident during centrifugation.
It also helps to maintain sterile clinical environment. Many centrifuges use brushless DC motor, which does not release carbon dust.
PRP centrifuge is versatile in use. It can hold different sizes of tubes and can be used for different preparation protocols. Some examples are single-spin, double-spin and low-speed centrifugation.

It saves time. Centrifugation makes the natural sedimentation process very fast and gives ready to use PRP within few minutes.
It is also cost effective. A good platelet yield reduces the amount of blood needed and it may also reduce repeated treatment in some cases.

Limitations of PRP Centrifuge

The following are the limitations of PRP centrifuge–

PRP centrifuge may give inconsistent or inadequate platelet yield. Many ordinary centrifuges cannot reach the ideal therapeutic concentration of about 1 million platelets per microliter.

In some cases, poor centrifugation may produce platelet-poor plasma (PPP) instead of platelet-rich plasma (PRP). In this condition, the final plasma has lower platelet number than the original blood sample.
The speed of centrifugation is an important problem. If the centrifuge is rotated at very high speed, mainly above 4000 rpm, it can damage and rupture the platelets.
High speed may also cause unwanted mixing with red blood cells. It can also over compact the cells and growth factors may remain trapped, so they are not released properly.

If the speed is too low, complete separation does not take place. So, the final PRP preparation becomes weak or less effective.
Some centrifuges have fixed-angle rotor design. In this type, the cells are pushed diagonally against the wall of the tube instead of straight downward.
This produces mechanical stress on the cells. It may cause cellular trauma or premature platelet activation. The separated blood layers may also remix after the centrifuge stops.

Fixed-angle rotor usually cannot give maximum platelet recovery. For good platelet collection, proper rotor design is needed.
Single-spin method is simple, fast and less costly. But it gives low platelet concentration than required in many treatments.
Double-spin method gives better platelet concentration. But it takes more time, may take up to one hour and also needs more cost and technical skill.

Open system has more chance of contamination. In this method, the technician has to transfer blood manually from one container to another. This may cause human error, platelet loss and bacterial contamination.
Closed and automated system is more sterile and safe. But it is expensive. Some automated machines may also have lower platelet capture efficiency than a skilled manual method.
PRP preparation is time sensitive. After the centrifuge stops, the concentrated platelets should be collected quickly.

If the sample is kept for long time, platelets may slowly diffuse back into the platelet-poor plasma (PPP). This reduces the final quality of PRP.
There are also regulatory and compliance problems. General laboratory centrifuge or ordinary diagnostic test tubes should not be used for preparing PRP for human reinjection, because these may not be approved for this medical use.

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PRP Centrifuge – Principle, Types, Parts, Applications