Screening Test of a New Pulsed Plasma Jet for Medical Application

摘要

Plasma sources in practice as medical devices must be certified according to strict safety standards. The present study analyzes the potential of a cold atmospheric pressure (CAP) jet for medical and specialized dermatological applications. We characterize plasma properties and investigate antimicrobial and cytotoxic effects. Plasma treatment of bacteria and fungi is performed using plasma mefenamic acid (MEF) (Tigres GmbH; Marschacht, Germany) pulsed technology. To evaluate the effects on biological materials, plasma process gas, input power, and treatment time were varied. The same treatments were realized on three-dimensional skin models to study cytotoxic effects. Treatment of bacteria and fungi with the plasma source of plasma MEF pulsed, with its cold potential-free plasma, shows a definite dependence on the kind of process gas used, plasma input power, and treatment time. Low plasma doses exhibit good cell compatibility for short, locally fixed treatment times. The CAP jet source of plasma MEF pulsed, using air or nitrogen as the process gas, seems to be suitable for medical and especially dermatological applications. In our study, it was possible to identify a range of useful therapeutic parameters with good antibacterial efficacy and without cytotoxic effects.