Basic research and clinical exploration of cold atmospheric plasma for skin wounds

Abstract

Skin wounds, such as burns, diabetic foot ulcers, pressure sores, and wounds formed after laser or surgical treatment, comprise a very high proportion of dermatological disorders. Wounds are treated in a variety of ways; however, some wounds are greatly resistant, resulting in delayed healing and an urgent need to introduce new alternatives. Our previous studies have shown that cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) has antibacterial activity and promotes cell proliferation, differentiation, and migration in vitro. To further advance the role of CAP in wound healing, we evaluated the safety and efficacy of CAP in vitro by irradiation of common refractory bacteria on the skin, irradiation of normal skin of rats and observing reactions, treatment of scald wounds in rats, and treating clinically common acute wounds. Our findings revealed that CAP can eliminate refractory skin bacteria in vitro; CAP positively affected wound healing in a rat scalding wound model; and direct CAP irradiation of low intensity and short duration did not lead to skin erythema or edema. CAP promises to be a new, economical, and safe means of wound treatment.

Recent Developments in the Use of Plasma in Medical Applications

“…Of particular note was the fact that antibiotic usage in the plasmatreated group was significantly lower (4%) than in the control group (23%), highlighting the potential significance of plasma in combating infection in a clinical setting [97]. This was also supported by various case studies conducted elsewhere in recent publications [98].…”

Investigation of the effectiveness of atmospheric pressure cold plasma on sciatic nerve injury in rats

“…Cold atmospheric plasma can interact with biological cells at temperatures below 40ºC and trigger various biological processes. In addition, the fact that cold atmospheric plasma application is non-contact and painless allows it to be easily used on human tissues and cells [23,24]. Studies have shown that cold plasma has a wide range of applications.…”

Cold atmospheric plasma therapy for Malassezia folliculitis: Laboratory investigations and a randomized clinical trial

“…The safety of the CAP device used in this study has been previously established in both rats and humans. 16 Having demonstrated its ability to inhibit Malassezia yeasts in vitro, we conducted a prospective randomized controlled trial, demonstrating that CAP is a secure and efficient approach for adult MF management. With the prolongation of treatment duration, the therapeutic effect improved.…”

“…A detailed description of the CAP device, the so‐called ST‐P101 plasma skin therapy instrument (Hefei CAS Ion Medical and Technical Devices Co., Ltd, Hefei, China), can be found in a paper by Miaomiao Li et al. 16 Briefly, the hand‐held therapeutic electrode head consisted of 1‐mm‐diameter copper needles connected to the reactor, where the high‐voltage electrode was located. The low‐voltage electrode was connected to the skin.…”