Stefan Hartwig1, Christian Doll2, Jan Oliver Voss2, Moritz Hertel3, Saskia Preissner4, Jan Dirk Raguse5. 1. Resident, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery/Clinical Navigation, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: stefan.hartwig@charite.de. 2. Resident, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery/Clinical Navigation, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany. 3. Fellow, Department of Oral Medicine, Dental Radiology and Oral Surgery, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany. 4. Fellow, Department of Operative and Preventive Dentistry, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany. 5. Department Head, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery/Clinical Navigation, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The treatment of wound healing disturbances of the radial forearm free flap donor site after reconstructive surgery is typically long and burdensome and often requires additional surgery. Cold atmospheric plasma is a promising approach to overcome these impairments. The aim of this proof of concept study was to evaluate the clinical outcome of plasma irradiation in patients with wound healing disorders with exposed brachial tendons of the radial forearm. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Four patients (mean age 64.2 years, range 44 to 80) who had undergone radial forearm free flap procedures and developed wound healing disturbance leading to exposed flexor tendons were included in the present prospective case series. In addition to routine wound care, all sites were irradiated with cold atmospheric plasma. The primary outcome variable was complete wound closure. RESULTS: In all patients, complete wound repair in terms of the absence of tendon exposure was observed within a mean treatment time of 10.1 weeks (range 4.9 to 16). No undesirable side effects were observed, and no inflammation or infection occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Cold atmospheric plasma could offer a reliable conservative treatment option for complicated wound healing disturbances. This was exemplarily shown in the case of radial forearm free flap donor site morbidity with exposed flexor tendons in the present study.
PURPOSE: The treatment of wound healing disturbances of the radial forearm free flapdonor site after reconstructive surgery is typically long and burdensome and often requires additional surgery. Cold atmospheric plasma is a promising approach to overcome these impairments. The aim of this proof of concept study was to evaluate the clinical outcome of plasma irradiation in patients with wound healing disorders with exposed brachial tendons of the radial forearm. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Four patients (mean age 64.2 years, range 44 to 80) who had undergone radial forearm free flap procedures and developed wound healing disturbance leading to exposed flexor tendons were included in the present prospective case series. In addition to routine wound care, all sites were irradiated with cold atmospheric plasma. The primary outcome variable was complete wound closure. RESULTS: In all patients, complete wound repair in terms of the absence of tendon exposure was observed within a mean treatment time of 10.1 weeks (range 4.9 to 16). No undesirable side effects were observed, and no inflammation or infection occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Cold atmospheric plasma could offer a reliable conservative treatment option for complicated wound healing disturbances. This was exemplarily shown in the case of radial forearm free flapdonor site morbidity with exposed flexor tendons in the present study.
Authors: Anke Schmidt; Sander Bekeschus; Katja Jarick; Sybille Hasse; Thomas von Woedtke; Kristian Wende Journal: Oxid Med Cell Longev Date: 2019-01-13 Impact factor: 6.543