Wound mediating device

1. A wound mediating surgical instrument comprising:

an electrosurgical instrument having an internal chamber;

a fluid pressure source coupled to the electrosurgical instrument and in fluid communication with the internal chamber, the fluid pressure source operable to provide a fluid stream through the internal chamber;

an active electrode that receives an energy signal from a generator, wherein when the electrosurgical instrument is operated in a first mode the active electrode ionizes the fluid stream as the fluid stream flows toward a wound to coagulate tissue;

a wound mediating device coupled to the electrosurgical instrument and including a container, a slurry disposed within the container, a plurality of microbubbles suspended in the slurry and a wound mediating substance encapsulated in the microbubbles; and

a valve for selectively introducing the slurry into the fluid stream of the internal chamber downstream of the fluid pressure source in a second operating mode where the active electrode ionizes the fluid stream as the fluid stream and slurry flow toward the wound, wherein the fluid stream is a gas.

2. The wound mediating surgical instrument as recited in claim 1 , wherein the wound mediating device is removably attached to the surgical instrument.

3. The wound mediating surgical instrument as recited in claim 1 , wherein the wound mediating substance is at least one of an antibacterial agent, an antifungal agent, an anti-inflammatory agent, an antimicrobial agents, an antiseptics, a chemotherapy agent, a coagulant, a hormone, a cancer tumor adjuvant, a local anesthetic, a pain mediator, a vasoconstrictor, a wound closing adhesive, a blood clotting factor, a growth factor, an interleukin, a cytokines, an inflammatory mediating factor, a chemokine and a matrix-metalloproteinase.

4. The wound mediating surgical instrument as recited in claim 1 , wherein the microbubble is at least one of a liposome, a micelle, and a microsphere.

5. The wound mediating surgical instrument as recited in claim 3 , further comprising a capillary tube connected to a distal end of the electrosurgical instrument, wherein the capillary tube applies a thin stream to the wound.

6. The wound mediating surgical instrument as recited in claim 5 , wherein the fluid stream is argon.

7. A method of treating a wound during surgery comprising the steps of:

encapsulating a wound mediating substance in microbubbles;

suspending the microbubbles in a slurry;

storing the slurry in a container;

supplying a pressurized gas into a fluid stream;

activating an electrode to ionize the fluid stream and coagulate tissue at a wound site;

selectively drawing the slurry out of the container and into the fluid stream; and

directing the fluid stream towards a wound in tissue.

8. The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein the pressurized gas is supplied through an electrosurgical instrument.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the step of selectively drawing the slurry is controlled by a valve.

10. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the pressurized gas and the slurry are operatively combinable within a wound mediating instrument.

11. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the wound mediating substance is at least one of a wound closing adhesive, a blood clotting factor, a growth factor, an interleukin, a cytokines, an inflammatory mediating factor, a chemokine and a matrix-metalloproteinase.

12. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the source of pressurized gas is argon.