Cold plasma treatment devices and associated methods
A cold plasma treatment device for delivery of a cold plasma to patient treatment area. Gas is fed to a gas compartment where it is energized by an electrode coupled to a pulse source to thereby generate a cold plasma. A dielectric barrier is sandwiched between the gas compartment and the electrode to form a dielectric barrier discharge device. The cold plasma exits the gas compartment via a bottom member having a plurality of holes. Gases that can be used include noble gases such as helium or combinations of noble gases.
1. A cold plasma treatment device comprising:
a body having a gas compartment therein, the gas compartment communicatively coupled to a gas inlet port;
a non-conductive bottom member having a plurality of openings, wherein the plurality of openings is communicatively coupled to the gas compartment, and wherein a first surface of the non-conductive bottom member is aligned to a shape of a treatment area; and
a dielectric barrier discharge device formed by an electrode disposed adjacent to an insulating barrier, the insulating barrier in turn disposed adjacent to the gas compartment and the electrode coupled to a high voltage electrical input port.
2. The cold plasma treatment device of claim 1 , wherein the electrode and the gas compartment are on opposing sides of the insulating barrier.
3. The cold plasma treatment device of claim 1 , wherein the first surface of the non-conductive bottom member and a second surface of the insulating barrier share a common shape.
4. The cold plasma treatment device of claim 1 , wherein the first surface of the non-conductive bottom member, a second surface of the insulating barrier and a third surface of the electrode have a same surface area.
5. The cold plasma treatment device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a pulsed radio frequency (RF) electrical source coupled to the high voltage electrical input port.
6. The cold plasma treatment device of claim 1 , wherein the non-conductive bottom member is flat.
7. The cold plasma treatment device of claim 1 , wherein the non-conductive bottom member is flexible.
8. The cold plasma treatment device of claim 1 , wherein the non-conductive bottom member is polygonal in shape.
9. The cold plasma treatment device of claim 1 , wherein the non-conductive bottom member is oval in shape.
10. The cold plasma treatment device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a manipulation element attached to the body, wherein the manipulation element is one of a handle, a semi-automatic manipulation actuator, and an automatic manipulation actuator.
11. A method comprising:
receiving a gas into a gas compartment within a body, the gas received via a gas inlet port;
energizing the received gas within the gas compartment to generate a cold plasma by applying electrical energy via a high voltage electrical input port to an electrode adjacent to a dielectric barrier, the dielectric barrier sandwiched between the electrode and the gas compartment; and
outputting the cold plasma via a plurality of holes in a non-conductive bottom member, wherein the plurality of holes communicatively coupled to the gas compartment, and wherein a first surface of the non-conductive bottom member is aligned to a shape of a treatment area.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the electrode and the gas compartment are on opposing sides of the dielectric barrier.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first surface of the non-conductive bottom member and a second surface of the dielectric barrier share a common shape.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first surface of the non-conductive bottom member, a second surface of the dielectric barrier and a third surface of the electrode have a same surface area.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein applying electrical energy includes:
applying pulsed radio frequency (RF) electrical energy via the high voltage electrical input port.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the non-conductive bottom member is flat.
17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the non-conductive bottom member is flexible.
18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the non-conductive bottom member is polygonal in shape.
19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the non-conductive bottom member is oval in shape.
20. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
applying the cold plasma, to the treatment area using a manipulation element, wherein the manipulation element is one of a handle, a semi-automatic manipulation actuator, and an automatic manipulation actuator.