(A642) The Role of Platelet-Rich Plasma in Enhancing Parotidectomy Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Introduction: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP), rich in growth factors and cytokines, promotes wound healing and tissue repair. Emerging evidence suggests perioperative PRP in parotid surgery may improve outcomes and reduce complications. However, inconsistent study designs and small sample sizes necessitate a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate its efficacy.

Methods: After full-text analysis, three studies were included in the meta-analysis. Five outcomes were included in this meta-analysis, including tube drainage duration, hospital discharge time, salivary fistula formation, and incidence of facial palsy. Meta-analysis was performed on R-studio. An odds ratio (OR) meta-analysis with the mantel-haenszel model was performed on dichotomous variables. Mean difference (MD) meta-analysis was performed for continuous variables. A random-effects model was performed to account for interstudy heterogeneity.

Results: A total of 133 patients underwent parotidectomy. There were 56 patients in the PRP arm and 77 in the control. There was a decrease in tube drainage duration days in the PRP group, although not statistically significant (MD=-0.16, 95% CI [-1.31, 0.99], p=0.78). Hospital stay was also decreased in the PRP arm by an MD=-0.11 in days, 95% CI [-2.06, 1.84], p=0.91. Salivary fistula formation decreased in the PRP cohorts, although it was not statistically significant (OR=0.30, 95% CI [0.05, 1.89], p=0.19. The incidence of postoperative facial palsy also should be a nonstatistical decrease (OR= 0.62, 95% CI [0.13, 2.83], p=0.53).

Conclusions: Our study indicates that PRP could improve patient satisfaction and postoperative outcomes. However, the current data is not statistically reproducible due to the small number of studies included and patient sample size. More studies are needed to explore upfront PRP application in parotidectomy.