Erythropoietin (EPO) is a glycoprotein hormone stimulating erythropoiesis. Over the last two decades, EPO has additionally gained attention as a therapeutic compound in plastic and reconstructive surgery. This is mainly due to its pleiotropic action profile, which promotes angiogenesis, suppresses apoptosis, and modulates inflammation, resulting in enhanced tissue regeneration. Accordingly, many studies have demonstrated the efficacy of EPO and its derivatives in the management of wound healing, flap surgery, peripheral nerve regeneration, fat grafting, and bone repair. However, for the broad clinical implementation of EPO as a therapeutic in these fields, several critical steps are yet to be taken. These include the development of standardized and safe treatment protocols and their evaluation in randomized multicenter clinical trials for the establishment of personalized, targeted therapies adapted to the specific needs of surgical patients. If this succeeds, EPO treatment may markedly improve the outcome of many different therapeutic approaches in regenerative medicine and reconstructive surgery.
Impact Statement
This review represents an overview of erythropoietin (EPO) applications in different fields of plastic and reconstructive surgery. By synthesizing current evidence across these fields, the study highlights the potential of EPO to serve as a versatile therapeutic agent capable of enhancing tissue regeneration and functional recovery, supported by modern tissue engineering approaches, such as scaffolds for controlled and sustained EPO delivery. Accordingly, this review may help to establish and improve EPO-based therapeutic protocols. If this succeeds, EPO may enhance surgical outcomes, reduce complications, and minimize patient discomfort.
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