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Updated: Jun 15, 2026
Basic Research in Plasma Medicine - A Throughput Approach from Liquids to Cells
Published on: November 17, 2017
A first prospective randomized controlled trial to decrease bacterial load using cold atmospheric argon plasma on
G Isbary1, G Morfill, H U Schmidt
1Department of Dermatology, Hospital Munich Schwabing, Kölner Platz 1, D-80804 Munich, Germany. dr.isbary@googlemail.com
Background:
Bacterial colonization of chronic wounds slows healing. Cold atmospheric plasma has been shown in vitro to kill a wide range of pathogenic bacteria. Objectives To examine the safety and efficiency of cold atmospheric argon plasma to decrease bacterial load as a new medical treatment for chronic wounds.
Patients And Methods:
Thirty-eight chronic infected wounds in 36 patients were treated in a prospective randomized controlled phase II study with 5 min daily cold atmospheric argon plasma in addition to standard wound care. The patient acted as his or her own control. Bacterial species were detected by standard bacterial swabs and semiquantitative changes by nitrocellulose filters. Plasma setting and safety had been determined in a preceding phase I study.
Results:
Analysis of 291 treatments in 38 wounds found a highly significant (34%, P < 10(-6)) reduction of bacterial load in treated wounds, regardless of the type of bacteria. No side-effects occurred and the treatment was well tolerated.
Conclusions:
Cold atmospheric argon plasma treatment is potentially a safe and painless new technique to decrease bacterial load of chronic wounds and promote healing.
