USE OF COLD ATMOSPHERIC PLASMA TO TREAT SKIN WOUNDS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

USO DE PLASMA ATMOSFÉRICO FRIO NO TRATAMENTO DE FERIDAS DE PELE: UMA REVISÃO SISTEMÁTICA

Abstract

Cold Atmospheric Plasma (CAP) has emerged as a promising technology for the wound healing process. Therefore, this study aimed to make a systematic review of CAP effects on the healing of skin wounds, focusing on the protocols used and decision-making for applications. For your development blindly, two researchers conducted a search in five electronic databases (PubMed; Web of Science; Scielo; Scopus and EMBASE) using a series of keyword combinations. The first selection was by the title, the second by the abstract, and the third by the full reading of the article. To compose this study, 28 articles were selected. The greatest difficulty was the non-uniformity of the keywords related to CAP and intervention protocols not described systematically and clearly. There is an agreement among the authors that CAP contributes positively through reactive species, nitric oxide, proinflammatory, and cellular signaling, both quantitatively and qualitatively to the healing process, acting in the re-epithelialization, angiogenesis, increased oxygenation, coagulation, collagen synthesis, among others. The phase it operates and the ideal application time are still controversial. Its application can occur directly and indirectly, with most studies still being conducted in the laboratory in acute and clean wounds. The most commonly used gases are Helium and Argon. It is concluded that the positive effect of CAP on the healing process is already a consensus in the literature. However, there is still a need to clarify the mechanisms involved.