Device for the treatment of herniated discs and medical indication by cold atmospheric plasma

Abstract

In summary, the invention relates to a device (10) for treating herniated discs, particularly in veterinary medicine, preferably in dogs (12) and cats. A device for generating cold atmospheric plasma (16) comprising an electrode (40) and a plate-shaped dielectric (32) at least partially surrounding the electrode (40) is used. The invention is characterized in that the dielectric (32) is designed to achieve a deep effect in the spinal region (18) of a treated body. For this purpose, the dielectric (32) has a wall thickness t of at least 1.2 mm and a maximum of 1.73 mm. The invention further relates to cold atmospheric plasma (16) for treating herniated discs.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe invention relates to a device for the treatment of disc seizures, especially in veterinary medicine, preferably in dogs and cats. In this case, a device for generating cold atmospheric plasma is used, which has an electrode and a plate-shaped dielectric at least partially surrounding the electrode. The invention also relates to cold atmospheric plasma within the scope of a further medical indication.Disc seizures often occur due to various degenerative processes in the body. In animal patients, especially dogs, of higher age, they can often be attributed to physical changes which take place due to normal senile remodelling and / or a breed-typical predisposition. Nevertheless, degenerative processes which can lead to disc incidence are also observed in more recent animal patients, in particular dogs. These more recent patients may have a disc disease or injury. Known degeneration processes, which can lead to disc seizures in dogs, can be distinguished into chondroid and fibroid degeneration processes. The method of treatment sought by the invention is primarily, but not exclusively, directed to the treatment of chronic disc seizures which occur due to fibroid degeneration, especially in dogs. Previously established methods either use a conservative treatment approach consisting of pain control, anti-inflammatory and physiology therapy or require a surgical intervention for this purpose.The term plasma refers to an ionized gas or gas mixture. In addition to neutral gas particles, ions, excited atoms or molecules and free electrons occur. Within the scope of spontaneous emission, visible light and / or UV radiation can be emitted by the excited particles.Cold atmospheric plasma for medical applications is typically generated from air at atmospheric pressure using electrical energy. The nature of the plasma is influenced in this case by, inter alia, the ambient temperature, the strength of the applied electric field and the discharge geometry. The first medical indication of cold atmospheric plasma is derived in particular from its ability to kill bacteria, viruses and fungi when used properly without causing appreciable damage to the treated body surface. Furthermore, plasma application has the potential to promote microcirculation within the skin tissue, which in turn contributes to improved oxygen saturation of the tissue. This increases, inter alia, collagen synthesis, optimizes cell migration and promotes the multiplication of cells involved in tissue repair. In this context, cold atmospheric plasma has hitherto been used successfully primarily for the treatment of skin diseases or wound healing disorders, both in the human-medical and in the veterinary field. The stated mechanisms of action also additionally result in possible applications of purely cosmetic nature.Devices for generating cold atmospheric plasmas can be operated by the principle of dielectrically impeded discharge (also called dielectric barrier discharge). An electrode is separated from a gas space in which the plasma is to be generated by an electrically insulating material, the dielectric. An electric field is generated via the electrode with the aid of high-frequency electrical oscillations. In the gas space between the dielectric and the treated body, discharge processes for plasma generation can consequently take place to a limited extent. The discharges are limited by the accumulation of charge carriers on the surface of the dielectric, forming a counter electric field. In the process, a plurality of plasma filaments of limited lifetime are thus preferably formed.Devices of this type usually have a control unit in which, among other things, a resonant converter for the efficient generation of the electrical high-frequency oscillations from an available electrical power supply connection is installed. Furthermore, the electrode and the dielectric arranged thereon are often located in a handpiece in order to enable a convenient and expedient application of the plasma. The strength of the applied electric field can be predetermined at the control unit within certain limits.The dielectric is in the form of a flat plate or disk. The material and wall thickness of the dielectric are generally adapted to prevent uncontrolled discharges and to generate a plasma of a quality suitable for treating the skin surface and possibly the subcutaneous layers of small depth.Object of the InventionIn contrast, the object of the invention is to provide a device and a substance for the treatment of disc seizures, in particular disc seizures in dogs and cats.DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONThis object is achieved according to the invention by a device according to claim 1, which has an apparatus for generating cold atmospheric plasma with an electrode and a plate-shaped dielectric at least partially surrounding the electrode, wherein the dielectric has a wall thickness t of at least 1.2 mm and at most 1.73 mm. Preferred developments of the device are reproduced by the dependent claims.Existing devices for making use of cold atmospheric plasmas in human medicine and in veterinary medicine are designed to achieve treatment successes in connection with skin diseases and wound healing disorders by limiting the electric field that can be applied in conjunction with the material and the selected wall thickness of the dielectric. By changing the wall thickness of the dielectric, in particular reducing the wall thickness to the correct extent, it is possible with the aid of the invention to bring about a targeted depth effect in the spinal column region of a treated body and, in addition, to achieve an improvement or an at least temporary recovery of a disc accident. By selecting the wall thickness of the dielectric plate, which is adapted to a respective material and an applied electrical energy level, the electric field that arises and the nature of the cold atmospheric plasma that arises can be designed to achieve the depth effect. The treatment result is shown in particular by empirical studies.For reasons of hygiene, dielectric plates are usually arranged removably on plasma-generating devices. It is therefore a particular advantage of the invention that dielectric plates according to the invention can generally be easily replaced by their standard dielectric plates on existing devices and can also be replaced again if necessary.In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the dielectric plate comprises plastic, in particular an acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer. Advantages of a plastic-based dielectric are due to cost-effective production and due to the recycling capability. The wall thickness provided can be maintained to a precise extent during production. In particular, production via efficient additive manufacturing methods is also possible.In one embodiment variant of the invention, the dielectric comprises a ceramic material. The electrically insulating properties of certain ceramic materials can be used analogously to those of plastic for producing a dielectric. The wall thickness of the ceramic-based dielectric may have to be adapted slightly compared to the wall thickness of a corresponding plastic-based dielectric.In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the dielectric plate is in the form of a flat disc, the disc preferably having a diameter between 14 mm and 51 mm. Dielectric disks of this type can be used in particular in plasma-generating devices which have been designed for cosmetic applications (often referred to as plasma pens).Preferably, the dielectric disc described has an engagement region of small depth on its side facing away from the patient. The depth can be in the range of a minimum of 0.1 mm and a maximum of 0.4 mm. The engagement region can be assigned the task of securing the dielectric disk against displacements in cooperation with a spring or a projection on a handpiece of the plasma-generating device. It is conceivable to design the spring or the projection such that they function as parts of the electrode. Furthermore, it is possible to adapt the dielectric disc to a specific electrode already during production by introducing a metallic component into the engagement region.The engagement region of a dielectric disc is preferably likewise circular and has a significantly smaller diameter d E than the disc itself. The diameter d E of the engagement region can preferably be between 2 mm and 3 mm.In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the necessary electrical energy is obtained via a conventional domestic mains connection which provides an alternating voltage of 100 V-240 V at a frequency of 50 Hz or 60 Hz. High-frequency electrical oscillations in the kHz range, which are often used to generate the cold atmospheric plasma, are in turn preferably generated in an efficient manner via a resonant converter.The object according to the invention is also achieved by a cold atmospheric plasma as medical substance within the scope of a further medical indication, namely the treatment of disc seizures. The primary factor here is the treatment of chronic disc seizures in the lumbar and steissbian vertebrae of dogs due to fibroid degeneration. Nevertheless, the result of treatment in cats is also documented and it can be assumed that recent research in this field can also produce indications for use in other species of animals and in the human medical field in the future.Further advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description and the drawing. Likewise, the features mentioned above and those set out further below can be used according to the invention individually or together in any desired combinations. The embodiments shown and described are not to be understood as a final enumeration, but rather have exemplary character for describing the invention.Brief Description of the DrawingsThe following are shown: FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an apparatus for treating disc seizures to produce cold atmospheric plasmas and an exemplary patient not to scale; FIG. 2a is an isometric view of an exploded view of a handpiece of the apparatus for treating disc seizures; FIG. 2 bshows the exploded illustration from FIG. 2 ain a side view; FIG. 3a is an isometric view of a dielectric disc; FIG. 3 b shows a detail of the dielectric disc and a cut side view of the dielectric disc.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION AND DRAWINGFIG. 1 shows an isometric view of an apparatus 10 for treating disc seizures, particularly chronic disc seizures in dogs 12 and cats. The dog 12 shown serves for better clarity of FIG. 1 and is not depicted to scale. The device has a handpiece 14, at the end of which cold atmospheric plasma 16 is generated.The handpiece 14 is used by a treatment expert, in particular a veterinary medicine, in order to apply the plasma 16 in a spinal column region 18 of the dog 12, in particular in the region of the lumbar and steissbone vertebrae. The end of the handpiece 14 is placed externally on the skin of the dog 12. The handpiece 14 is connected via a cable 20 to a control unit 22, in which a resonant converter 24 is installed. The control unit 22 is connected to a house network connection 28 via a further cable 26. The resonance converter 24 generates high-frequency electrical oscillations using electrical energy from the domestic mains connection 28, which oscillations are in turn used to generate the plasma 16.FIG. 2 ashows an isometric view of the handpiece 14, wherein the components at the plasma generating end of the handpiece 14 are depicted in an exploded view. A retaining ring 30, which is preferably made of plastic, serves for inserting a dielectric disk 32, The dielectric disk 32 is braced by means of a spring 34 on a head piece 36 of the handpiece 14 between the retaining ring 30 and the head piece 36. The retaining ring 30 can preferably be fastened to the head piece 36 via a screw connection (not shown here for reasons of clarity). When the components are assembled, the spring 34 can engage in a preferably circular engagement region 38 of the dielectric disc 32.FIG. 2 bshows the handpiece 14 from FIG. 2 ain a side view. The head piece 36 of the handpiece 14 encloses an electrode 40 or at least a part of the electrode 40. the electrode 40 is supplied with electrical high-frequency energy via the cable 20. The head piece 36 is made of an electrically insulating material, preferably plastic.FIG. 3 ashows the dielectric disc 32, wherein the circular engagement region 38 can be seen. The engagement region 38 is located on the rear side 42 of the dielectric disc 32, i.e. on the side facing the head piece 36. The dielectric disc 32 has a diameter d between 14 mm and 51 mm.FIG. 3 bshows a section of the dielectric disc 32 and a sectioned side view of the dielectric disc 32 along the cut edge A-A. The engagement region 38 has a diameter d E between 2 mm and 3 mm. Alternatively or additionally, the engagement region 38 has a height h of at least 0.1 mm and at most 0.4 mm. The wall thickness t of the dielectric disc 32 is preferably between a minimum of 1.2 mm and a maximum of 1.73 mm.With a total of all the figures of the drawing taken together, the invention relates in summary to a device 10 for the treatment of disc seizures, in particular in veterinary medicine, preferably in dogs 12 and cats. An apparatus for generating cold atmospheric plasma 16 having an electrode 40 and a plate-shaped dielectric 32 at least partially surrounding the electrode 40 is used. The invention is characterized in that the dielectric 32 is designed to achieve a depth effect in the spinal region 18 of a treated body. For this purpose, the dielectric 32 has a wall thickness t of at least 1.2 mm and at most 1.73 mm. The invention further relates to cold atmospheric plasma 16 for treating disc seizures.List of reference characters10 Device for treating disc seizures 12 dog 14 handpiece 16 cold atmospheric plasma 18 spinal column region 20 cable 22 control unit 24 resonance converter 26 further cable 28 house network connection 30 retaining ring 32 dielectric disc 34 spring 36 head piece 38 engagement region 40 electrode 42 rear side

Claims

Device (10) for the treatment of disc seizures, in particular in veterinary medicine, preferably in dogs (12) and cats, wherein the device (10) has a device for generating cold atmospheric plasmas (16) with an electrode (40) and a plate-shaped dielectric (32) at least partially surrounding the electrode (40), characterized in that the dielectric (32) has a wall thickness t of at least 1.2 mm and at most 1.73 mm, in order to achieve a depth effect in the spinal column region of a treated body.Device (10) according to claim 1, wherein the dielectric (32) comprises plastic, in particular an acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer.The apparatus (10) of claim 1, wherein the dielectric (32) comprises a ceramic material.Device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the dielectric (32) is in the form of a flat disc, which in particular has a diameter d of between 14 mm and 51 mm.Device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the dielectric (32) has an engagement region (38) with a height h of at least 0.1 mm and at most 0.4 mm.Device (10) according to claim 5, wherein the engagement region (38) of the dielectric (32) is circular, wherein it preferably has a diameter d E between 2 mm and 3 mm.The device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, which has a resonant converter (24) in order to provide the electrical high-frequency or high-voltage energy necessary for plasma generation via an electrical domestic mains connection (28).Medicinally effective plasma (16) in the form of cold atmospheric plasma (16) for use in the treatment of disc seizures, in particular chronic disc seizures in veterinary medicine.

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