Tubular floating electrode dielectric barrier discharge for applications in sterilization and tissue bonding

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9339783-B2
Application number	US-201414322113-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 2, 2014
Priority date	Mar 16, 2009
Publication date	May 17, 2016
Grant date	May 17, 2016

Abstract

Disclosed is a device and method for contacting a biological substrate. A non-thermal plasma device delivers a non-thermal plasma discharge using a dielectric conduit, an igniter electrode and a RF electrode. The dielectric conduit fluidicly communicates a gas therethrough and an igniter electrode ionizes at least a portion of the gas. The RF electrode, disposed circumferentially proximate to the exterior of the dielectric conduit, generates non-thermal plasma from the ionized gas. The non-thermal plasma is discharged from the dielectric conduit and contacts a biological substrate. The non-thermal plasma discharge may be suitable for tissue bonding and sterilization applications.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method for contacting a biological substrate with non-thermal plasma, comprising:
fluidicly communicating a gas through a dielectric conduit characterized as comprising an upstream end and a downstream end, the upstream end having an opening capable of receiving gas from a gas source, and the downstream end having an opening capable of transmitting non-thermal plasma therethrough;
energizing an RF electrode disposed circumferentially adjacent to an exterior wall of the dielectric conduit that in the presence of a floating igniter electrode disposed within an upstream portion of the dielectric conduit ionizes at least a portion of the gas to form a non-thermal plasma; and
placing the biological substrate in a position no further than a first distance from the downstream opening of the dielectric conduit, wherein the first distance is a distance where discharge of the non-thermal plasma is characterized as being in a transferring mode, in which the non-thermal plasma first impinges on a surface of the biological substrate in a cloud shape, such that the substrate acts as ground.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing the gas, from the gas source, to the upstream end of the dielectric conduit; and
supplying RF power to the RF electrode via a power supply.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the gas comprises helium, argon, nitrogen, air, or any combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the biological substrate comprises soft tissue, biological tissue, metal, plastic, or a combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the biological substrate is treated in a manner that effects at least some sterilization of the contacted area.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the biological substrate is treated in a manner that promotes the coagulation of blood, thermal coagulative bonding, or chemical denaturing bonding.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the biological substrate is exposed to the non-thermal plasma discharge for a duration in the range of about 3 seconds to about 2 minutes.

8. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
placing the biological substrate at a second distance from the downstream opening of the dielectric conduit, wherein the second distance is closer to the downstream opening of the dielectric conduit than is the first distance; and
wherein the second distance is a distance where discharge of the non-thermal plasma is characterized as being in an attached mode with respect to the biological substrate, in which the non-thermal plasma discharge impinges the surface of the biological substrate in a focused, intense microcolumn.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric conduit comprises glass, quartz, plastic, ceramic, porcelain, or a combination thereof.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric conduit has a diameter in the range of about 0.2 mm and about 1 cm.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the RF electrode comprises water, aluminum foil, stainless steel, stainless steel mesh, copper, silver, any other conducting material, or any combination thereof.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the RF electrode has a length in the range of about 1 mm to about 20 cm.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the igniter electrode comprises tungsten, copper, gold, silver, iron, titanium, platinum, aluminum, any other metal, or any combination thereof.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the igniter electrode comprises a wire.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the igniter electrode is located proximate to the center of the lumen of the dielectric conduit.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the igniter electrode is positioned upstream of the RF electrode.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the igniter electrode overlaps the RF electrode.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric conduit is a tube, cylindrical tube, rectangular prism, or pyramid.

Assignees

• Univ Drexel

Inventors

• Fridman Gregory
• Fridman Alexander
• Gutsol Alexander F
• Friedman Gennady
• Staack David

Classifications

• A61L2/02

  using physical processes · CPC title

• A61L2103/05

  Living organisms or biological materials · CPC title

• H05H1/2406

  using dielectric barrier discharges, i.e. with a dielectric interposed between the electrodes · CPC title

• H05H2245/34

  Skin treatments, e.g. disinfection or wound treatment · CPC title

• H05H2245/32

  Surgery, e.g. scalpels, blades or bistoury; Treatments inside the body · CPC title