Combined cold atmospheric plasma and photobiomodulation is associated with improved early macroscopic and ultrasonographic wound-healing parameters after unilateral mastectomy in female dogs: an exploratory randomized intra-individual controlled clinical study.

@article{silva2026combined,
  title = {{Combined cold atmospheric plasma and photobiomodulation is associated with improved early macroscopic and ultrasonographic wound-healing parameters after unilateral mastectomy in female dogs: an exploratory randomized intra-individual controlled clinical study.}},
  author = {Guilherme Ramon Vieira da Silva and Márcio Santos de Oliveira Filho and Samuel Ferreira de França Silvestre and Gabrielle Arruda Carneiro and Rivaldo Bruno Medeiros de Lucena and Clarisse Maria Rodrigues Costa and Pedro Lucas Diogo Facundo and Fernando Lucas Costa Silva and João Marcelo Azevedo de Paula Antunes and Larissa de Castro Demoner and Valéria Veras de Paula and Airton Torres Carvalho and Carlos Augusto Galvão Barboza and Clodomiro Alves Júnior and Moacir Franco de Oliveira and Marcela Maria de Almeida Amorim and Carlos Eduardo Bezerra de Moura},
  journal = {BMC veterinary research},
  year = {2026},
  month = jul,
  doi = {10.1186/s12917-026-05746-8},
  url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42907999},
  note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}

TY  - JOUR
TI  - Combined cold atmospheric plasma and photobiomodulation is associated with improved early macroscopic and ultrasonographic wound-healing parameters after unilateral mastectomy in female dogs: an exploratory randomized intra-individual controlled clinical study.
AU  - Guilherme Ramon Vieira da Silva
AU  - Márcio Santos de Oliveira Filho
AU  - Samuel Ferreira de França Silvestre
AU  - Gabrielle Arruda Carneiro
AU  - Rivaldo Bruno Medeiros de Lucena
AU  - Clarisse Maria Rodrigues Costa
AU  - Pedro Lucas Diogo Facundo
AU  - Fernando Lucas Costa Silva
AU  - João Marcelo Azevedo de Paula Antunes
AU  - Larissa de Castro Demoner
AU  - Valéria Veras de Paula
AU  - Airton Torres Carvalho
AU  - Carlos Augusto Galvão Barboza
AU  - Clodomiro Alves Júnior
AU  - Moacir Franco de Oliveira
AU  - Marcela Maria de Almeida Amorim
AU  - Carlos Eduardo Bezerra de Moura
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/07/24
JO  - BMC veterinary research
DO  - 10.1186/s12917-026-05746-8
UR  - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42907999
AB  - Background  Postmastectomy complications remain relevant in veterinary surgery. Although cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) and photobiomodulation (PBM) may improve tissue repair, evidence on their combined use is limited. This exploratory pilot study evaluated CAP-PBM therapy in nine female dogs undergoing unilateral mastectomy.Methods  A prospective, randomized, blinded, intra-individual controlled clinical study was conducted in nine female dogs with mammary neoplasia undergoing clinically indicated unilateral mastectomy. In each dog, one half of the surgical wound was randomly assigned to receive sequential CAP and PBM therapy, while the contralateral half remained untreated and served as an intra-individual control. Evaluations were performed on postoperative days 3, 7, and 14 (D3, D7, and D14) using macroscopic scoring systems, ultrasonography, and infrared thermography; histomorphometric analysis was performed only on D7.Results  Treated regions showed significantly lower Modified Hollander Scar Scale (p < 0.001) and Modified Draize Scoring System (p = 0.001) scores. Ultrasonographic assessment demonstrated lower semiquantitative scores (p = 0.029) and reduced subcutaneous thickness (p = 0.034), especially during the early postoperative period. Thermographic findings did not differ significantly between groups. Histological analysis revealed numerically greater re-epithelialization in treated areas, although without statistical significance (p > 0.05).Conclusions  In this exploratory pilot study, combined CAP + PBM therapy was associated with improved early macroscopic and ultrasonographic healing parameters after mastectomy in female dogs. These preliminary findings support further investigation of CAP + PBM as a promising non-invasive adjuvant strategy for postoperative wound management, pending confirmation in larger, adequately powered randomized studies.
SN  - 1746-6148
ER  -