Microwave plasma torch for wound treatment

Abstract

Cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAP) sources have recently been proven to be an effective therapeutic source regarding wound healing. The most preferred and used plasma devices at this moment are the well-known dielectric barrier discharges (DBD) and free jet devices. In this work, we studied a low temperature plasma torch at atmospheric pressure sustained by a travelling electromagnetic wave excited by surfatron type wave launcher coupled to solid state microwave generator. This plasma source allows variation of discharge conditions: geometric parameters (discharge tube inner diameter and thickness), wave power and gas flow velocity which varies the main plasma parameters (length, gas temperature, concentration of charged particles and reactive species, UV and microwave radiation). Appropriate combination of the parameters lead to the low temperature plasma torch obtaining a gas temperature up to 30–37°C, suitable for in vivo treatment of BALB-C mouse models. The purpose of this research is to study the discharge conditions leading to acceleration of wound healing at short treatment times with relatively low gas flow and microwave power

Effects of different cold atmospheric‐pressure plasma sources on the yeast Candida glabrata

“…[18,22] Numerous studies demonstrated a promising use of CAP in oncology, [23][24][25] dermatology, [26][27][28] and wound healing. [29,30] In general, decontamination using plasma technologies is the most investigated and discussed topic. [31][32][33] Some studies have already gone beyond the in vitro experiments to be performed in vivo, and some have progressed to the phase of clinical trials in real patients.…”

Characteristics of 2.45 GHz Surface-Wave-Sustained Argon Discharge for Bio-Medical Applications

“…Another type of plasma source operating at atmospheric pressure and a microwave frequency of 2.45 GHz, the surface-wave-sustained discharge (SWD) was investigated for possible applications in biology, medicine, agriculture, and the food industry [24][25][26][27][28][29][30]. The specific way of plasma produced and sustained by an electromagnetic wave traveling along the plasma-dielectric interface (surface wave) determines the features of these discharges.…”

“…Promising results are also obtained for the decontamination of seeds, plants, and fruits at a similarly short treatment time by a microwave plasma torch [28][29][30]. Some preliminary experiments on wound treatment on mice [27] also stimulate the investigations in these directions. The reactive oxygen and nitrogen (RONS) species important for bio-medical plasma effects are produced, even when the working gas is pure argon as a result of the interaction of the plasma torch with ambient air [25].…”