Plasma medicine – can the direct application of Openair-Plasma® heal wounds?
The term plasma medicine refers to the direct treatment of human cells with plasma. For almost 15 years, the research group under Prof. Gary Friedman at Drexel University (Philadelphia, PA) has pioneered work on the use of atmospheric plasma systems to treat the skin. He was the first to examine the impact of the most varied direct and indirect applications of plasma to human skin. In the process, he discovered a synergetic relationship between bacteria reduction through the application of plasma (plasma disinfection) and wound healing.
Today this work is being pursued intensively at many research institutions internationally. The "Campus PlasmaMed" research program (Leibniz-Institut for Plasma research and technology e.V. ), Düsseldorf University, Bochum University, and the Max Planck Institute in Munich, all in Germany, deserve special mention in this connection.
Plasmatreat has a wealth of experience in the area of disinfection of technical surfaces in medicine, known as plasma sterilization. Openair-Plasma® jets are extremely effective in treating surfaces in continuous operation. Because of the potential-free nature of plasma energy, it is in principle suitable for the treatment of human skin as well.
Extensive verifications and further development of jet technology are required to get to the point of using it in human medical applications. The development of systems for controlled medical plasma treatments presents tremendous opportunities for the future.
Plasmatreat is engaged in intensive exchanges with universities and institutes with a view to finding more partners to collaborate with in its exploration of the exciting field of plasma medicine.
The sterilization effect of plasma (plasma sterilization)
Inactivation of Aspergillus niger DSM 1957 conidia in different germination scenarios (dots, sprayed, milk, saccharose) with nitrogen as the process gas (track: 1 mm; jet spacing: 10 mm; speed: 10 m/min; PCT (plasma cycle time): 100%; gas flow: 2000 L/h).
Source: Arbeitsgemeinschaft industrieller Forschungsvereinigungen "Otto von Guericke" e.V. [AiF – German Federation of Industrial Research Associations]
Biocompatible implant coating: biofunctionalization with PlasmaPlus® in medical technology
Plasmatreat is a pioneer in the use of atmospheric plasma coating for implants, both as wear protection and as a biocompatible coating that promotes ease of integration with tissue.
Use of Openair-Plasma® and PlasmaPlus® to manufacture medical plasma polymer coatings, as wear protection or implant coatings, is an extremely promising area of application. The first plasma-coated implants are already in trials.
