title: On the history of plasma treatment and comparison of microbiostatic efficacy of a historical high-frequency plasma device with two modern devices.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAP) with its many bioactive properties has defined a new medical field: the plasma medicine. However, in the related form of high-frequency therapy, CAP was even used briefly a century ago. The aim of this study was to review historic CAP treatments and to obtain data regarding the antimicrobial efficacy of a historical high-frequency plasma device.
  
  
  METHODS
  First, historic literature regarding the history of CAP treatment was evaluated, because in the modern literature no data were available. Second, the susceptibility of 5 different bacterial wound isolates, cultured on agar, to a historic plasma source (violet wand [VW]) and two modern devices (atmospheric pressure plasma jet [APPJ] and Dielectric Barrier Discharge [DBD]) was analyzed . The obtained inhibition areas (IA) were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  First, the most convenient popular historical electromedical treatments produced a so-called effluvia by using glass electrodes, related to today's CAP. Second, all three tested plasma sources showed complete eradication of all tested microbial strains in the treated area. The "historical" cold VW plasma showed antimicrobial effects similar to those of modern APPJ and DBD regarding the diameter of the IA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Some retrograde evidence may be deducted from this, especially for treatment of infectious diseases with historical plasma devices. The underlying technology may serve as model for construction of modern sucessive devices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University Medicine, Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Napp
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University Medicine, Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Daeschlein
authors.affiliation: Department of Trauma Surgery, University Medicine, Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Napp
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University Medicine, Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: von Podewils
authors.affiliation: Department of Trauma Surgery, University Medicine, Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gümbel
authors.affiliation: Department of Trauma Surgery, University Medicine, Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Romy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Spitzmueller
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Orthopaedic Surgery, HFR Fribourg - Hôpital cantonal, Fribourg, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fornaciari
authors.affiliation: Department of Trauma Surgery, University Medicine, Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hinz
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University Medicine, Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jünger
keywords: antimicrobial efficacy; historic plasma apparatus; low temperature atmospheric pressure plasma; plasma medicine