Plasma-Tissue Interactions in Argon Plasma Coagulation: Effects of Power and Tissue Resistance

摘要

The coagulation properties of the argon plasma coagulation (APC) technique present tremendous potential for a wide range of endoscopic applications. Although several studies have explored the endoscopic application of this technique, there has been no previous research about the relevant argon plasma properties during coagulation. We have investigated the role of power in the interactions between plasma and biological tissue, and have reported on the dielectric properties of the APC treated samples. The data revealed that at a resistance of 1 kQ, the applied power was within 10% to 15% of the power setting, and the average resistance of the animal samples was between 0.8 and 3.7 kQ. The data also suggested that the amount of power applied could be adjusted according to the expected tissue resistance range. Additionally, it was determined that the burned surface caused by the APC treatment was on average two to three times less conductive than the untreated surface. The data also revealed that 60%-80% of the power produced by the electrosurgical generator was delivered into the biological tissue, and the plasma channel consumed the remaining 20%-40%. This study establishes a guide for the investigation of optimal argon thermal plasma properties for biological tissue application.