ELECTROMEDICAL DEVICE FOR BLOOD CLOTTING AND TREATMENT OF ULCERS AND OTHER SKIN INJURIES IN HUMAN AND ANIMAL PATIENTS

Abstract

The proposed invention relates to an electromedical device that produces a cold plasma at atmospheric pressure for use in blood clotting and the treatment of ulcers and other skin injuries in human and animal patients. The main claims relate to the use of gas pre-treated by means of a cooling and dehumidification, together with a system of plasma expansion chambers in the outlet channel of same. As a result of these innovations, the plasma produced using the invention has a lower temperature than those in the prior art, preserving greater effectiveness both in blood clotting and in the disinfection and treatment of skin injuries, without causing any damage to the patient's healthy tissue. The device can be used in the treatment of human and animal patients to considerably accelerate blood clotting without damage to healthy tissue, during clinical and surgical treatments. I can also be used to treat ulcers and other skin injuries, owing to its disinfection properties, without damaging healthy tissue.

Claims

1. Electromedical device for blood coagulation, treatment of ulcers and other dermatological lesions in human and animal patients comprising: an electronic system called a high-frequency electrical power generating unit (1), a gas injection system (2), an air compressor system (3), an inert gas bottle or tank (4), a gas and electrical energy transport hose (5), a manual applicator (6), a gas cooling system (7), a gas dehumidification system (8), a general digital control system (9), a user control touch screen (10) and a jet of cold non-thermal plasma at atmospheric pressure (11).

2. Electromedical device for blood coagulation, treatment of ulcers and other dermatological diseases in human and animal patients according to claim 1, characterized by the use of a non-thermal cold atmospheric plasma that does not transfer thermal energy to the patient in sufficient quantity to cause damage to the healthy tissue and that is created from a gas that has been previously treated by means of a cooling system (7) and a dehumidification system (8).

3. Electromedical device for blood coagulation, treatment of ulcers and other dermatological diseases in human and animal patients according to claim 1, characterized by the use of air or an inert gas cooled below the ambient temperature by a system designed for this purpose (7).

4. Electromedical device for blood coagulation, treatment of ulcers and other dermatological diseases in human and animal patients according to claim 1, characterized by the use of air or an inert gas whose maximum absolute moisture content is controlled by a system designed for this purpose (8).

5. Electromedical device for blood coagulation, treatment of ulcers and other dermatological diseases in human and animal patients according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that that the gas to produce the plasma flows through a hole made in the center of the positive frustoconical electrode (12) crossing the sinus of the plasma in its formation (15) and driving it through the central hole of the flat ground electrode (13).

6. Electromedical device for blood coagulation, treatment of ulcers and other dermatological diseases in human and animal patients according to claim 1, characterized by the use of a system of expansion and plasma cooling chambers (20) located prior to the outlet orifice of the plasma (19) in the manual applicator (6) composed of an alternating series of axially perforated circular discs of two different concentric diameters such that when the plasma passes through the mentioned structure, it encounters volumes where it expands and cools that correspond to the discs of larger diameter.

7. Electromedical device for blood coagulation, treatment of ulcers and other dermatological diseases in human and animal patients according to claim 1, characterized by the use of a removable metal sheath (26) at the end of the applicator (6) that allows it to be sterilized to avoid accidental cross contamination during both clinical and surgical use of the invention.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] To complete the description that is being made and to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, a set of drawings is attached as an integral part of the description, where, with an illustrative and non-limiting nature, the following has been represented:

[0019] FIG. 1.—Shows a block diagram of the invention where the different conceptual parts that compose it and the way in which they are connected to each other can be appreciated. The arrows indicate the flow of matter, energy, or information as appropriate to each case, electricity, gas, and control signals.

[0020] FIG. 2. Shows a cross-section view of the manual applicator where the different parts that make up can be seen. The whole system has cylindrical symmetry.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0021] An embodiment of the present invention is described below with the aid of FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0022] The proposed equipment comprises: a high-frequency electric power generating unit (1), a gas injection system (2), an air compressor (3), an inert gas bottle (4), a transport hose for gas and electric power (5), a manual applicator (6), a gas cooling system (7), a gas dehumidification system (8), a general digital control system (9), a touch screen of control for the user (10) and a jet of cold non-thermal atmospheric plasma of the gas used (11).

[0023] FIG. 2 shows in detail the structure of the hand applicator in a cross-section view. In general terms, the set has cylindrical symmetry where the different parts that compose it are coaxial. The system is formed by a positive electrode of a frustoconical shape axially perforated at its vertex (12) facing a flat ground electrode also axially perforated (13). Between them, a high frequency electric discharge is established with the energy provided by the generating unit (1) through the connection cable (14) that produces a plasma in the region that is indicated in FIG. 2 with a dotted circle (15). The positive electrode (12) is connected to a metallic flow exchange piece (16) whose function is to exchange the circulation of the gas flow (17) and the electrical one (18). In this way, the gas is conducted through the axial perforation of the positive electrode (12), increasing its speed, passing through the plasma volume through its sinus and being expelled through the plasma outlet orifice (19) from which the plasma jet (11) that will be used for the treatments is formed. In addition, between the region where the plasma is produced (15) and the plasma outlet orifice (19), a system of plasma expansion chambers (20) has been implemented, it is composed of an alternating series of axially perforated circular discs of two different concentric diameters. This structure causes that the diameter of the outlet channel that communicates the region where the plasma is produced (15) with the outlet orifice thereof (19) does not have a constant diameter. On the contrary, the outlet channel alternately has two diameters, one small and one large, in such a way that when the plasma passes through the channel, it encounters volumes where it expands, which are called plasma expansion chambers, and which correspond with larger diameter discs. The entire set of elements described above is kept in a coaxial centered position by means of tubes of insulating material (21), (22) and (23). Furthermore, the system is surrounded by a metallic casing (24) threaded and fixed to the metallic body of the grounded hand applicator (25). Finally, a removable metal cover (26) has been implemented, it is fixed on the metal casing (24) in a way that allows it to be easily sterilizable and replaced for use with each patient, avoiding possible cross contamination during clinical and surgical use. Both the metal casing (24), the metal body of the manual applicator (25) and the removable metal sleeve (26) are conveniently connected to ground, guaranteeing the safety of the operator and the patient with respect to electric shocks.

[0024] Once the gas flow (17) from the gas injection system (2) has been established, it is treated by the gas pretreatment systems (7) and (8), entering the transport hose (5) and heading towards the hand applicator (6). After a set time has elapsed to reach the appropriate humidity and temperature conditions in the gas, the high-frequency electrical energy generating unit (1) is activated, producing the plasma within the manual applicator (6) in the region (15) that corresponds with the free volume between the axially perforated frustoconical positive electrode (12) and the axially perforated flat ground electrode (13). The plasma is cooled and driven towards the outlet port (19) of the manual applicator (6) through a structure of alternating concentric rings of two different diameters that form a system of plasma expansion chambers (20). When the plasma passes through this structure, it undergoes a second cooling to finally emerge through the outlet orifice (19). From the moment in which the exit of the plasma is observed by the end of the manual applicator (6), the operator can use the system by applying the plasma jet (11) on the surface of the lesion or wound to be treated.