Xerthra™ iPRF kit is a new generation, highly efficient platelet (PLT) separation device, dedicated to preparation of injectable platelet-rich fibrin (iPRF) from patient’s blood. iPRF thanks to its unique ability for fibrin network creation is recommended to use in the injuries in which the prolongated regulatory as well as regenerative action of cytokines and growth factors is required.

High number of platelets obtained with Xerthra™, delivered by iPRF which secretes great number of growth factors that sequentially will lead to induction of regeneration processes and supplementary recover the homeostasis at the injection site¹.

Xerthra™ kit procedure pack consists of a highly efficient separation device, which due to its unique construction allows to separate and isolate the very high number of PLTs for the final injection. Thus, the final blood-derived product acquired with Xerthra™ iPRF kit is characterized by PLTs concentration way above 1 000 000 PLT/µl which constitutes as a threshold of a therapeutical effectiveness for PRP. This is due to ability of XerthraTM separation device to concentrate PLTs in average 7 times more than in patients peripheral blood².

Prolonged overload or trauma negatively affects the homeostasis of musculoskeletal tissues like cartilage, synovium, bone or tendon, shifting it towards aggravation of catabolic state, in turn related with intense production of tissue degradation enzymes, increased oxidative stress, enhanced inflammation and finally elevated damage^1,2. However, scientific and clinical data show that platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy can be a respectful treatment for joint or tendon deterioration and pathology^3,4. In contrast to PRP, injectable platelet-rich fibrin (iPRF) is a second generation platelet concentrate which can be obtained rapidly by the collection of autologous blood after one single centrifugation step and without anticoagulants⁵. The acquired fibrin clot contains in its structure three elements, such as platelets, leukocytes and supportive fibrin matrix⁶. Suspended cells in the fibrin clot progressively secrete a high concentration of cytokines and growth factors respectively over time. iPRF might be applied in cartilage⁷ or tendon⁸ engineering studies because of its supportive fibrin matrix, while the leukocytes might be important in immunomodulatory mechanisms via cytokine secretion.

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Xerthra™ iPRF kit procedure pack contains a highly efficient separation device, which due to its unique design and construction allows to separate and isolate a very high number of PLTs in the final injection product. Xerthra™ separation device is made of Makrolon® polycarbonate that maximize the recovery rate of both platelets and growth factors contained in fibrin clot. This effect is provided due to a very low surface energy of Makrolon® polymer which prevent binding of the proteins and cells to the walls of the device, resulting in maximal number of PLT in final injection product.

As a result, the blood-derived product acquired by Xerthra™ iPRF separation device delivers PLTs concentration way above the threshold of a therapeutical effectiveness stated by platelet-rich associated product definition on 1 000 000 PLT/µl. This is due to ability of Xerthra™ separation device to concentrate PLTs 7 times than in patients peripheral blood⁹. Such high effectiveness delivers 3, 2 or 1 mL of highly concentrated iPRF from 13.5 mL of patient’s peripheral blood.

The main advantages of iPRF obtained by Xerthra™ is its safety as well as simple preparation and administration methods. Moreover, due to the product autologous characteristics, no unintentional immune response will be triggered after the injection¹⁰ and no donor-recipient disease transmission is possible. 

Package of Xerthra™ PRP Kit contains:

• Xerthra™ separation device (1 pc)
• Venofix® A, 21G butterfly needle (1 pc)
• Microlance™ 3, 21Gx1½” needle (2 pcs)
• Microlance™ 3, 27Gx¾” needle (1 pc)
• dicoNEX Single use syringe, 20 mL (1 pc)
• dicoNEX Single use syringe, 10 mL (1 pc)
• dicoNEX Single use syringe, 5 mL (1 pc)
• dicoNEX Single use syringe, 2 mL (1 pc)

Recent clinical data show that iPRF can bring up to 12 months clinical effectiveness¹¹.

The product is meant to use by medical practitioners only.

iPRF is a concentrated and isolated fraction of the platelets and leukocytes suspended in the fibrin matrix obtained from the peripheral blood¹. In the site of the injection autologous iPRF forms a fibrin network where leukocytes and platelets release cytokines and growth factors over a longer period of time. Growth factors released by the PLTs, as a natural signaling molecules for the cells and tissues, provide the necessary molecular information at the injury and damage site. Up to date, more than 300 biologically active molecules were identified in the platelet secretome². Among all, the signaling proteins like growth factors are closely linked with the beneficial effects of the PRP therapy – including platelet derived growth factors (PDGF), transforming growth factor β1 (TGF- β1), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)³ and many more. 

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One of the crucial effects of PLT-derived growth factors in general can be describes as anti-inflammatory when applied into the OA affected joint or into the tendon affected by tendinopathy. This anti-inflammatory effect lays mainly in the ability of PRP to inhibit the production of strong proinflammatory cytokines, such as IL-6 and IL-8⁴.

Foremost, PRP with high concentration of PLTs and thus loads of different growth factors was described as potent modulator of cell metabolism in OA affected joint or in tendinopathy. Growth factors secreted by the PLTs can positively affect the production and secretion of tissue extracellular matrix (ECM) components like ACAN, COL1A1, COL2A1, COL3A1 and HA. As this leads to induced biosynthesis of ECM components like aggrecan, type II collagen and hyaluronic acid (associated with joint cartilage tissue⁵); and type I and III collagen (associated with tendon tissue⁶), platelet-rich associated products will contribute significantly to increase of regeneration processes of both articular cartilage and tendon.

Furthermore, the effect of high abundance of platelets therapy includes also the induction of specific tissue cell proliferation, which is a major process in tissue healing. Data show that platelets-derived growth factors are able to induce the migration and proliferation of tendon or cartilage progenitor cells^7,8.

Finally, all of these processes induced by iPRF, when combined, will substantially restore the proper homeostasis balance in OA affected join and in tendinopathy, thus contributing to tissue regeneration and reduction of degradation processes.

All of the mentioned effects makes the iPRF injections a highly recommendable therapy for tendon and joint associated pathologies. Based on significant scientific cases, the iPRF treatment was estimated as an therapeutically effective against tendinopathy⁹ and osteoarthritis¹⁰. Clinical studies describe that intra-articular iPRF administration has clinical effectiveness, characterized with symptoms improvements which endures at least 12 months¹¹.

PRP treatment was proven to be clinically efficient and safe, based on the reports which pointed out the lack of adverse events related to the therapy, in contrast to corticosteroids injection (CS) which safety has been put into serious consideration^12–15. There is vast of scientific publications which describes that CS injections contributes to cartilage thinning and damage¹⁶ or leads to significant tenocyte viability reduction and increase in possibility of future tendon rupture¹⁷.