Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma in Coagulation and Sterilization.

Rapid loss of blood, in the operating room or trauma, necessitates a need for hastening coagulation Attempts to hasten coagulation include electrocautery based on thermal plasma discharges. Although there have been other effective attempts to prevent further loss of blood via coagulation, tissue damage and dessication can occur as a result of the high temperatures ². Our group has developed a method to initiate rapid coagulation with dielectric plasma discharge (cold). Initial experiments were performed using fresh blood from volunteers to compare time for coagulation of whole blood exposed to plasma, one minute versus 10 minutes. We tried same experiments on cut cadaver organs such as spleen and placenta which showed evidence of rapid coagulation compared to control without evidence of tissue damage.

Our research team has developed a novel method using non-thermal dielectric barrier discharge plasma (DBD plasma) to coagulate blood and sterilize tissues without causing thermal damage. This treatment would be safe to patients because no exposed electrodes are involved and high frequency current (under 10 KHz) is kept below mili-ampere. Our experiments have shown that such plasma treatment hastens blood coagulation and causes simultaneous wound sterilization via a large concentration of chemically active species in plasma that are ions, radicals (O, OH, N) and electronically-excited atoms and molecules.

A kinetic model of blood coagulation under influence of DBD plasma was constructed. The model assumes contact flux of positive ions from DBD plasma into the surface of the blood being treated. Once at the surface, these ions recombine, leading to formation of aqueous Hydrogen ions which catalyze the release of Calcium ions into the blood. The addition of Calcium ions to blood speeds up the coagulation process proportionally to the amount of ions added. The model demonstrates thrombin formation in the presence of DBD plasma peaking and occurring within significantly less time compared to thrombin formation without DBD plasma³. Such medically relevant demonstrations and mathematical explanations have allowed us to develop a portable device that may prove useful in situations where control of bleeding is crucial. In addition, because of the potential for simultaneous sterilization, this device may also help to decrease infections. This pioneering technology will find applicability in many clinical situations: sterilization of human tissue surfaces prior to surgery and sterilization of catheters, a well-known cause of morbidity in hospitals.