Articolo in rivista, 2019, ENG, 10.3390/app9245560

The role of thermal effects in plasma medical applications: Biological and calorimetric analysis

Cordaro L.; De Masi G.; Fassina A.; Gareri C.; Pimazzoni A.; Desideri D.; Indolfi C.; Martines E.

1,2,3,5,8: Consorzio RFX (CNR, ENEA, INFN, Università di Padova, Acciaierie Venete spa), Corso Stati Uniti 4, Padova, 35127; 1: Centro Ricerche Fusione, University of Padova, Corso Stati Uniti 4, 35127 Padova, Italy; 2,4,7: Division of Cardiology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, Viale Europa, Catanzaro, 88100 Italy; 5: INFN-LNL, Viale dell'Università 2, Legnaro, 35020 Italy; 6: Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padova, Via Gradenigo 6/a, Padova, 35131, Italy.

Plasma Medicine tools exploit the therapeutic effects of the exposure of living matter to plasma produced at atmospheric pressure. Since these plasmas are usually characterized by a non-thermal equilibrium (highly energetic electrons, low temperature ions), thermal effects on the substrate are usually considered negligible. Conversely, reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS), UV radiation and metastables are thought to play a major role. In this contribution, we compare the presence of thermal effects in different operational regimes (corresponding to different power levels) of the Plasma Coagulation Controller (PCC), a plasma source specifically designed for accelerating blood coagulation. In particular, we analyze the application of PCC on human blood samples (in vitro) and male Wistar rats tissues (in vivo). Histological analysis points out, for the highest applied power regime, the onset of detrimental thermal effects such as red cell lysis in blood samples and tissues damages in in-vivo experiments. Calorimetric bench tests performed on metallic targets show that the current coupled by the plasma on the substrate induces most of measured thermal loads through a resistive coupling. Furthermore, the distance between the PCC nozzle and the target is found to strongly affect the total power.

Applied sciences 9 (24), pp. 1–11

Keywords

atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ), cold atmospheric plasma (CAP), plasma medicine, blood coagulation, tissue damage

CNR authors

Martines Emilio, De Masi Gianluca

CNR institutes

IGI – Istituto gas ionizzati, ISTP – Istituto per la Scienza e Tecnologia dei Plasmi

ID: 415423

Year: 2019

Type: Articolo in rivista

Creation: 2020-01-16 15:49:02.000

Last update: 2021-01-25 22:27:22.000

External links

OAI-PMH: Dublin Core

OAI-PMH: Mods

OAI-PMH: RDF

DOI: 10.3390/app9245560

URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/9/24/5560

External IDs

CNR OAI-PMH: oai:it.cnr:prodotti:415423

DOI: 10.3390/app9245560

Scopus: 2-s2.0-85077303301

ISI Web of Science (WOS): 000518042000295