Effect on healing rates of wounds treated with direct cold atmospheric plasma: a case series

Objective: The response of different critical acute and hard-to-heal wounds to an innovative wound care modality-direct application of cold atmospheric plasma (CAP)-was investigated in this clinical case series. Method: Over an observation period of two years, acute wounds with at least one risk factor for chronification, as well as hard-to-heal wounds were treated for 180 seconds three times per week with CAP. CAP treatment was additional to standard wound care. Photographs were taken for wound documentation. The wound sizes before the first CAP treatment, after four weeks, after 12 weeks and at wound closure/end of observation time were determined using image processing software, and analysed longitudinally for the development of wound size. Results: A total of 27 wounds (19 hard-to-heal and eight acute wounds) with a mean wound area of 15cm(2) and a mean wound age of 49 months were treated with CAP and analysed. All (100%) of the acute wounds and 68% of the hard-to-heal wounds healed after an average treatment duration of 14.2 weeks. At the end of the observation period, 21% of hard-to-heal wounds were not yet closed but were reduced in size by >80%. In 11% of the hard-to-heal wounds (n=2) therapy failed. Conclusion: The results suggested a beneficial effect of additional CAP therapy on wound healing.