 Background information and study rationale: Evidence no. 1 platelet gel. The gel obtained upon platelet activation of platelet rich plasma with thrombin or with pharmaceutical extracts of cobra venom is a blood component that has been used for clinical purposes for a number of years. The rationale supporting this therapy relates to the high content of growth factors in platelet alpha granules that can be delivered topically by a natural biocompatible carrier i.e. the platelets upon platelet activation. So far, platelet gel has been mainly used to repair recalcitrant skin ulcers in diabetic and non-diabetic patients in an autologous blood donation setting. Unfortunately, most candidates to this therapy are elderly patients, frequently affected by a number of pathologic conditions and comorbidities which make them mostly unfit or unsuitable for the process of autologous blood collection. In practice, most patients who could mostly benefit from this therapy are de facto deprived of a potentially effective treatment because of this limitation. 