Foot wounds in diabetic patients (diabetic foot wounds) and open leg wounds often heal slowly. Patients with these wounds suffer daily pain and usually experience reduced quality of life. In some cases, it can even lead to amputations of the foot or leg. Moreover, this wound care is long-term, intensive, and expensive, requiring many hospital visits, admissions, and dressings.
A new treatment with cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) may heal these wounds faster and prevent infections. A press release by the hospital states that the wound center at St. Antonius Hospital has applied for a grant and received 2.1 million from the Dutch Care Institute to study the effect of this innovative wound therapy. The treatment comes from Gerard & Anton winner Plasmacure.
What is cold plasma, and how does it work?
Cold plasma is created by adding energy to a gas, such as air. Plasma works against bacteria, viruses, and fungi, reduces the risk of infection and stimulates blood circulation and cell growth. All factors activate and, therefore, accelerate the processes of wound healing. Cold plasma is made at the site of the wound under a kind of plaster that is placed on the wound. The wound is supplied with cold plasma that does not become warmer than body temperature for two minutes. After that, standard wound care is started. A major advantage of the therapy is that treatment can be performed at home with the help of home care workers.
Higher quality of life and lower costs
Sophie Ghijsen, physician-researcher of Vascular Surgery at St. Antonius Hospital, prepared the study under the direction of vascular surgeon and lead researcher Olaf Bakker. Ghijsen: “The number of patients with diabetic foot wounds is increasing. In the Netherlands, 1.2 million people have diabetes. More than a third of them may suffer from wounds. In America, for example, the annual cost of wound care is already higher than the cost of the most common cancer treatments combined. We hope to demonstrate with this study that this new treatment not only improves patients’ quality of life, but also reduces healthcare costs.”
Clarity on reimbursement in four years
The study, called the COSMAS trial, will start on November 1, 2024. Patients participating in the study will receive the cold plasma treatment for 12 weeks, twice a week as an addition to standard wound care. A number of other hospitals are also participating in the trial, including Ziekenhuis Rivierenland Tiel, Maxima Medisch Centrum in Eindhoven and the Alrijne Hospital in Leiden. In addition, eight home care organizations are joining, including Careyn, Santé and AxionContinu. In about four years, the results will be submitted to the Care Institute, which will decide whether the treatment will be reimbursed by health insurance.
Related Posts
