Application of Cold Atmospheric Plasma (Cap) in the Treatment of Chronic Skin Lesions Associated With Post-surgical Neuropathic Pain in a Domestic Cat

Abstract

Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) has been employed as a therapy against both acute and chronic skin lesions, contaminated or not, and indirectly exerts an influence on adjacent tissues, promoting healing and other benefits, such as nervous tissue repair and differentiation. In this context, this pilot study aimed to evaluate the effects of a CAP jet on the healing of chronic skin lesions caused by a pruritic reaction resulting from post-surgical neuropathic pain. To this end, a single CAP application was performed on a feline patient with recurrent cervical skin lesions associated with specific drug therapy aiming at resolving neuropathic pain. The single plasma application led to significant macroscopic lesion appearance improvement within 10 days, and the owner reported the cessation of intense itching within the first four hours after treatment and a consequent improvement in the animal's quality of life. Therefore, CAP application leads to significant healing of chronically infected skin lesions resulting from post-surgical neuropathic pain.