Chemical‐Driven Tissue Removal and Removal Profiles by Atmospheric Plasma Irradiation

Abstract

We demonstrate the application of RF‐excited plasma to remove localized regions of ex vivo tissue. While some limited tissue removal occurs when using discharges in rare gases alone, the addition of chemical precursors results in an enhancement of etch depth and etch profile under essentially identical plasma conditions of delivered power, applied voltage, and gas flow. Specifically, the material removal rate in our experiments using different CH4−xClx additives increased with both (i) the molecular chlorine content (x = 2,3,4) of the selected additive, and (ii) the concentration of haloalkane vapor in the gas stream. We attribute this enhancement to the generation and delivery of chemically reactive radicals from the plasma to the tissue, followed by formation of volatile products (i.e., a chemical, rather than physical or thermal, tissue removal process). In addition we observed that cross‐sectional etch profiles differed with the chosen haloalkane additive chemistries, indicative of corresponding differences in chemistries on profile side‐walls versus bottom walls.

Atmospheric-pressure plasma sources for biomedical applications

“…Even though the plasma chemical reaction with cells was unclear, there were some efforts to improve and control tissue removal ability in terms of etch depth and etch profile by a plasma chemical reaction using a simple RF argon plasma jet [142] (figure 17). Chemical additives containing chlorine in the argon carrier gas increased the tissue removal rate (figure 18).…”

Correlated Electrical and Optical Studies of Hybrid Argon Gas–Water Plasmas and their Application to Tooth Whitening

“…Cold atmospheric plasmas have been employed for dental applications,1, 2 sterilization,3, 4 cancer treatment,5, 6 tissue removal7–9 and a means of changing chemical composition of feedstock gases 10. The UV and ions generated by atmospheric plasma, as well as OH, O, H, NO, and O 3 reactive species drive these applications 11.…”