Evaluation of cold atmospheric microwave plasma on skin physiological parameters and tolerability in dogs

Abstract

Background: Cold atmospheric microwave plasma (CAMP) is a promising therapeutic option for treating skin infections and wounds. Changes in biophysical skin parameters and the tolerability in dogs after applying CAMP is unknown.Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the in vivo effects of CAMP on skin biophysical parameters [hydration, transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and surface temperature] and tolerability in dogs.Animals: Twenty client-owned dogs with normal skin. Materials and methods:Cold atmospheric microwave plasma treatment was performed for 30 s and 1, 2 and 4 min, respectively, at different sites of normal canine skin in the inguinal area. Hydration, TEWL and surface temperature were measured five, three and three times, respectively, before and after CAMP application. After treatment, pain and adverse effects were evaluated using a modified Melbourne Pain Scale and the modified short form Glasgow Composite Measure Pain Scale (modified CMPS-SF). Results:Transepidermal water loss values significantly decreased with 4 min of treatment, and hydration decreased significantly with 2 min of treatment.Temperature increased significantly with increasing treatment time. For other parameters, no significant changes were observed. No significant pain response or adverse effects were observed in most dogs, aside from mild erythema in the treatment area after 4 min. Conclusion and clinical significance:Cold atmospheric microwave plasma treatment was well-tolerated and did not significantly change canine skin biophysical parameters. CAMP achieves basic recommendations for safe use and is a potential therapeutic option for various skin diseases in dogs.

Application of cold atmospheric microwave plasma as an adjunct therapy for wound healing in dogs and cats

“…A recent study has proven that CAMP could be a safe therapeutic option by demonstrating the results that it does not significantly change biophysical parameters in dogs [ 14 ]. In the present study, CAMP treatment without using any analgesic drug was well-tolerated except for mild discomfort and transient erythema in some patients.…”

“…The CAMP settings utilized for therapy were based on manufacturer’s recommendations: microwave frequency, 2.45 GHz; voltage, 3.5 kV; power, 30W; and argon gas flow rate, 15 L/min. Taking the abovementioned settings into consideration, the effluent had a visible length of approximately 10 mm and the temperature at the tip of the plasma jet was maintained at < 40°C [ 14 ].…”

“…Artificial plasma is maintained at atmospheric pressure and near ambient temperature, owing to which it is known as CAP or non-thermal plasma; thus, this form of plasma can have biological applications without causing thermal damage [ 8 ]. Especially, cold atmospheric microwave plasma (CAMP) device used in this study was driven by continuous microwaves, eliciting biological responses more effectively even at low temperature when compared to conventional CAP methods using other energy sources [ 12 13 14 ].…”

Effect of cold atmospheric microwave plasma (CAMP) on wound healing in canine keratinocytes

“…Plasma can produce a set of photons, reactive oxygen species (ROS), reactive nitrogen oxide species (RNOS), and UV radiation, which can exert synergistic biological effects (Judée et al, 2014;Graves, 2017). In addition, CAMP treatment was welltolerated and did not show any concerned adverse side effects in humans (Heinlin et al, 2013) and dogs (Lee et al, 2022). Therefore, CAMP treatment is safe and may be a potential clinical therapeutic option for skin diseases.…”