Plasma (the“fourth state of matter”) is an excited gas composed of ions, radicals, UV photons and electric field. Plasma medicine is medical field wherein non-thermal form of plasma or ‘cold' atmospheric plasma (CAP) is used to treat biological targets to induce therapeutic effects. The clinical applications of CAP ranges from wound healing, dermatology, cancer treatment and dentistry to surface decontamination and drug delivery. Although limited in number, CAP devices have been trialed through randomized controlled studies for wound healing and head and neck cancers. As a result, some clinics in Europe are utilising CAP devices for the treatment of non-healing wounds. Other indications such as dental, vitiligo, psoriasis, etc. are being studied using in vitro and ex vivo models. These studies have garnered promising results and possible avenues for CAP as a medical therapy.

This research topic aims to compile original studies that contribute to understanding the biological responses of cells/tissues to CAP using in vitro and in vivo models, as well as clinical studies in patient groups. Not until recently has the first generation of plasma medical devices been approved for medical therapy, but approval is currently restricted to skin treatment. Therefore, through this issue we aim to highlight the studies focused on broader applications of CAP devices in other clinical indications and their potential use in real-world scenario and/or clinical settings. We aim for this issue to serve as a tool to bring CAP research from laboratory to a real-world application.

We welcome the submission of manuscripts including, but not limited to, basic research, animal studies or human trials of cold plasma technologies for:

• Wound healing, and tumour treatment either by direct CAP treatment, or indirect treatment with CAP-derived products (e.g., plasma-activated liquids and plasma-activated hydrogels).

• Dental treatment solutions, including disinfection of root canals, cavities and effects on oral microbiome.

• Plasma-based therapy for autoimmune skin conditions such as vitiligo, psoriasis, etc.

• Fungal disease (e.g. onychomycosis) treatment using CAP devices.

• Plasma-activated drug delivery as a combination therapy for wounds, cancers, etc.

• Surface treatment of medical devices for drug-binding coatings (e.g., antimicrobial, antithrombogenic, chemotherapeutic) or sterilization.

• New emerging applications of cold plasma technologies that have not been previously reported will be highly desirable in this current issue. Systematic reviews, meta-analyses, health economic studies and opinion articles focused on clinical outcomes and real-world applications are welcomed for submission, but literature reviews are not sought after in this issue.

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Frontiers in Medical Technology

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