SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TREATING SURFACES OF BODIES, IN PARTICULAR FOR WOUND TREATMENT

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for treating surfaces of bodies, in particular a vacuum dressing, comprising at least one connection means (5a) for the fluidic attachment of a negative-pressure generator for generating negative pressure in a space that can be positioned on the surface of a body, and at least one means for plasma generation (8, 8a, 15) by which the space in which negative pressure can be generated can be at least partly filled with plasma or a plasma-activated medium.

The device according to the invention is particularly suitable for the combined negative pressure and plasma treatment of a wound.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for treating surfaces of bodies by means of the system according to the invention, wherein a body with a surface to be treated is provided, the system for treating surfaces of bodies is provided, a negative pressure is generated in a space positioned on the surface of the body and the space is filled at least partly with plasma or plasma-activated medium.

Claims

1. A system for treating surfaces of bodies, in particular a vacuum dressing, comprising at least one connection means (5a) for creating a fluidic connection of a negative pressure generator for generating negative pressure in a space which can be positioned on the surface of a body and at least one device for plasma generation (8, 8a, 15), by means of which the space in which negative pressure can be generated can be filled at least partly with plasma or a plasma-activated medium.

2. The system for treating surfaces of bodies according to claim 1, characterized in that the system comprises a first device for plasma generation (8, 8a), which is arranged in the space in which negative pressure can be generated, so that the plasma and/or plasma-activated medium can be generated in the space.

3. The system for treating surfaces of bodies according to claim 1, characterized in that the first device for plasma generation (8, 8a) is configured as a sensor system (8b) for detecting at least one physical parameter on the surface of the body.

4. The system for treating surfaces of bodies according to claim 1, characterized in that the system comprises a second device for plasma generation (15), which is arranged externally in relation to the space in which negative pressure can be generated, and is connected by a fluidic connection to the space, so that the plasma-activated medium can be generated outside the space and can be directed into the space.

5. The system for treating surfaces of bodies according to claim 1, characterized in that the system comprises a porous material, in particular foam, which defines the space in which negative pressure can be generated.

6. The system for treating surfaces of bodies according to claim 1, characterized in that the system comprises a chamber which defines the space in which negative pressure can be generated.

7. The system for treating surfaces of bodies according to claim 1, characterized in that the system comprises a negative pressure generator, in particular a vacuum pump, for generating negative pressure in the space, wherein the negative pressure generator can be connected or is connected fluidically to the space by means of the connection means (5a).

8. The system for treating surfaces of bodies according to claim 1, characterized in that the device for plasma generation (8, 8a, 15) is designed to generate a dielectric barrier discharge.

9. The system for treating surfaces of bodies according to claim 1, characterized in that the device for plasma generation (8, 8a, 15) comprises at least one inner electrode (12, 21) and at least one earthed outer electrode (11).

10. The system for treating surfaces of bodies according to claim 9, characterized in that the outer electrode (11) comprises an electroconductive textile, in particular woven, material or consists of the latter.

11. The system for treating surfaces of bodies according to claim 1, wherein the outer electrode (11) comprises electroconductive gauze or consists of the latter.

12. The system for treating surfaces of bodies according to claim 1, characterized in that the device for plasma generation (8, 8a, 15) comprises a plurality of spacer elements (13) made from an electrically insulating material, wherein the spacer elements (13) define a distance between the inner electrode (12, 21) and the outer electrode (11).

13. The system for treating surfaces of bodies according to claim 1, characterized in that the system comprises a film (4); in particular a transparent film (4), for sealing and covering the system from the environment, wherein in particular the film (4) comprises at least one opening (4a) to which the connection means (5a) is connected, so that the negative pressure generator is in fluidic connection through the opening (4a) to the space in which negative pressure can be generated.

14. A method for treating surfaces of bodies, in particular for treating surfaces of human or animal tissue outside the human or animal body, wherein i) a body with a surface to be treated is provided, ii) a system for treating surfaces of bodies according to claim 1 is provided, iii) a negative pressure is generated in a space positioned on the surface of the body, v) the space is filled at least partly with plasma or plasma-activated medium.

15. The method for treating surfaces of bodies according to claim 14, wherein the space is filled alternately to the negative pressure generation with the plasma or the plasma-activated medium.

Description

[0065] Further details and advantages of the present invention are described in the following description of embodiments. With the following embodiments shown in a series of drawings the concept of the invention and the schematic structure and the handling of the device system are explained in detail. The individual elements of the structure of the devices are labelled with the reference numerals listed below.

[0066] In the latter:

[0067] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional representation of a system according to the invention for treating surfaces;

[0068] FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a first embodiment of the system according to the invention with an internal plasma source;

[0069] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the first embodiment of the system according to the invention with an internal plasma source;

[0070] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an internal plasma source according to the invention;

[0071] FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 of the internal plasma source;

[0072] FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of a second embodiment of the system according to the invention with an external plasma source;

[0073] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional representation of an external DBD-based plasma source.

[0074] FIG. 1 shows the usual basic arrangement of the essential components of a system according to the invention designed as a vacuum dressing on a wound of biological tissue 1 with a flexible, flat DBD-based plasma source 8a embedded between two foam wound dressings 2, 3, which plasma source can be used additionally as a sensor system 8b for wound monitoring. The wound is covered for example by a transparent film 4 and is sealed from the environment. Here the film 4 seals over the wound dressing 3 and the body surface surrounding the wound.

[0075] The film 4 comprises an opening 4a and an connection means 5a arranged over the opening 4a for the fluidic connection of a negative pressure generator for producing negative pressure in the space formed by the foam wound dressings 2, 3, e.g. via a drainage hose 5. At the same time the drainage hose 5 can be used for suctioning off wound fluid.

[0076] The plasma source 8a or the sensor system 8b is connected by an electric supply line 20 for connecting to a power supply 10 and/or a measuring and control device 9 for wound monitoring. By means of the shown plasma source 8a plasma can be generated directly in the space in which negative pressure is produced, i.e. in this case in the space formed by the foam wound dressings 2, 3.

[0077] FIG. 2 shows a diagram of the whole structure of the combined device system according to a first embodiment with an internal DBD-based plasma source 8a embedded in the vacuum dressing. The vacuum dressing is connected to a negative pressure-control device 7 with vacuum pump for the purpose of evacuating and/or suctioning off wound secretions in the usual way via an connection means 5a and via a drainage hose 5 and a collection vessel 6 for wound secretions, whereas the combination of a DBD-based plasma source 8a and a sensor system 8b is connected via corresponding electrical supply lines 20 on the one hand to a measurement and control device 9 for wound monitoring by means of the sensor system 8b and on the other hand to the power supply 10 for the plasma source 8a.

[0078] The exploded view shown in FIG. 3 of the first embodiment of the system according to the invention configured as a vacuum dressing for treating surfaces with an internal plasma source 8 is intended to illustrate the sandwich arrangement of the thin foam wound dressing 2, which lies directly on the wound, the combination 8 of a DBD-based plasma source and a sensor system, the overlying part of the foam-wound dressing 3 and the transparent film 4 for sealing and covering with the connection means 5a for the drainage hose 5 in the vacuum dressing.

[0079] FIGS. 4 and 5 show the basic structure of an embodiment of the combination 8 composed of different layers of a DBD-based plasma source and a sensor system in an assembled view (FIG. 4) and in an exploded view (FIG. 5).

[0080] A centrally meandering insulated electroconductor 12 is optionally used as part of a sensor system 8b or as a high voltage electrode covered by a dielectric, against which an earthed outer electrode 11 is applied on both sides at a defined distance, defined by the spacer elements 13 made of insulation material, which outer electrode is made from electroconductive gauze or electroconductive textile material, in particular woven material, and which can also be used optionally as part of the sensor system 8b for wound monitoring. Instead of the meandering arrangement of the electroconductor 12 encased in insulation material it is also possible to have a spiral-shaped arrangement or any arrangement in which plasma can be generated over the surface as far as possible in a plane with a corresponding electrode placement.

[0081] FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of the system according to the invention for treating surfaces, i.e. a further way of combining a negative pressure therapy device with an external plasma source 15. Unlike the first embodiment shown in FIG. 2 here instead of the internal DBD-based plasma source 8a an external DBD-based plasma source 15 is used. In this case in the embodiment shown here the plasma-treated gas 19 generated by the plasma source 15 from the supplied gas 18 is supplied periodically in a defined amount to the vacuum dressing and thus the space in which negative pressure is generated via a three-way valve 14 through the drainage hose 5 and the connection means 5a.

[0082] After a defined reaction time via the three-way valve 14 the suction is performed with the negative pressure therapy device or the negative pressure generator, e.g. a vacuum pump as part of the negative pressure control device 7. In this case the electrode arrangement shown in FIG. 4 is also integrated into the vacuum dressing, but is not used here as a plasma source but only as a sensor system 8b in connection with the measuring and control device 9 for wound monitoring.

[0083] Many different embodiments of an external plasma source 15 can be used here.

[0084] FIG. 7 shows schematically by way of example the structure of a coaxial arrangement of a DBD-based plasma source in a cross-sectional view. In this case the high voltage carrying inner electrode 21 is a metal cylinder, which is surrounded by a glass tube 16 used as a dielectric and coated with an earthed outer electrode 11. The narrow gap between the glass tube 16 and the inner electrode 12, which is sealed externally by the centering and sealing rings 17, is used as a gas chamber in which the plasma is formed.

TABLE-US-00001 List of reference numerals 1 biological tissue 2 foam wound dressing, part A 3 foam wound dressing, part B 4 film, in particular transparent film for sealing and covering 4a opening 5 drainage hose 5a connection means 6 collection vessel for wound secretion 7 negative pressure control device with vacuum pump 8 first device for plasma generation, in particular flexible, surface DBD-based plasma source or combination of plasma source and sensor system 8a first device for plasma generation, in particular flexible, surface DBD-based plasma source, 8b sensor system for wound monitoring 9 measurement and control device for wound monitoring 10 power supply for the plasma source 11 earthed outer electrode 12 high voltage conducting inner electrode coated with insulation material 13 spacer elements made of insulating material 14 three-way valve 15 second device for plasma generation, in particular external DBD- based plasma source 16 glass tube 17 centering and sealing ring 18 gas (e.g. air) 19 plasma-treated gas 20 electric supply lines 21 metal inner electrode