cutaneous microcirculation after plasma therapy

Conditions: Burn Injury; Acute Wound; Chronic Wound; Burn Scar

Summary: in plastic and reconstructive surgery, treatment strategies of second-degree burns, superficial wounds, burn scars, flaps and chronic wounds aim at reducing infection and improving microcirculation. although previous studies indicate that plasma therapy can accelerate wound healing, only a few studies focused on the elucidation of its mechanisms of action. therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate the microcirculatory effects of plasma therapy on second-degree burns, superficial wounds, burn scars, flaps and chronic wounds in a human in-vivo setting for the first time.


Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: group a (n=20): consent-capable male and female patients ≥18 years of age who have sustained a second-degree burn on ≥1% and ≤30% of the surface of the body. group b (n=20): consent-capable male and female patients ≥18 years of age who require a skin excision for the purpose of a skin graft. the minimal size of the skin-graft donor site must not be less than 1% of tbsa. group c (n=20): consent-capable male and female patients ≥18 years of age suffering from a wound that has not yet healed ≥3 weeks. the minimal size of the wound site must not be less than 1% of tbsa. group d (n=20): consent-capable healthy male and female probands ≥18 years of age serving as sham group. none of the the criteria of groups a-c must be evident. no soft tissue injury must be evident. group e (n=20): consent-capable male and female patients ≥18 years of age who have sustained a second-degree burn on ≥1% and ≤30% of the surface of the body. group f (n=20): consent-capable male and female patients ≥18 years of age who require a skin excision for the purpose of a skin graft. the minimal size of the skin-graft donor site must not be less than 1% of tbsa. group g (n=20): consent-capable male and female patients ≥18 years of age suffering from a wound that has not yet healed ≥3 weeks. the minimal size of the wound site must not be less than 1% of tbsa. group h (n=20): consent-capable healthy male and female probands ≥18 years of age serving as sham group. none of the the criteria of groups e-g must be evident. no soft tissue injury must be evident. group i (n=20): consent-capable male and female patients ≥18 years of age suffering from a hypertrophic burn wound. group j (n=20): consent-capable male and female patients ≥18 years of age suffering from a hypertrophic burn wound. group k (n=20): consent-capable male and female patients ≥18 years of age received a flap. group l (n=20): consent-capable male and female patients ≥18 years of age received a flap. exclusion criteria: general exclusion criteria * below 18 years of age * wounds requiring artificial respiration, since consent for the study participation is unobtainable exclusion criteria groups a, b, d, e, f, h: * peripheral arterial occlusive disease * vasculitis * diabetes mellitus * chronic kidney or liver disease * cardiac dysfunction * arterial hypo- or hypertension anamnestic exclusion criteria * ongoing immunosuppressive or chemotherapy treatment * drug abuse * systemic skin diseases * systemic and local cortisone therapy