Flexible Dielectric Plasma Device for Chronic Wound Healing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wound treatment methods for chronic wounds, including surgical techniques and wound dressings, are invasive, painful, and often insufficient in reducing microbial colonization, leading to delayed or prevented healing due to incomplete germ reduction.
Innovation Solution
A device featuring a planar, flexible dielectric with a structured surface for dielectric barrier discharge plasma treatment, combined with a solid, open-pore matrix layer of curative or healing material, such as collagen, that is resorbable, allowing for simultaneous plasma and healing material contact without the need for separate applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional surgical techniques and wound dressings are used for chronic wound treatment, then wound coverage and basic care are provided, but germ reduction is insufficient leading to delayed healing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines plasma generation capability directly into the wound dressing by embedding electrodes within the porous structure of the dressing material. This integration allows simultaneous wound coverage and effective germ reduction through plasma discharge, resolving the contradiction between providing wound care and achieving sufficient germ reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The wound dressing utilizes a porous material structure that allows plasma to penetrate and reach the wound surface effectively. The porous structure enables gas permeability for plasma generation while maintaining the dressing's ability to cover and care for the wound, thereby improving both germ reduction and healing speed.
2Reliability
If plasma treatment is performed separately from wound dressing application, then effective plasma disinfection is achieved, but treatment continuity is interrupted and healing process is delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the plasma generation function with the wound dressing by embedding electrodes within the dressing structure. This allows the dressing to simultaneously provide wound coverage and generate plasma for continuous disinfection without removal or interruption, eliminating treatment downtime and accelerating healing.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated design enables continuous plasma generation throughout the wound healing process. The electrode embedded in the dressing maintains constant plasma discharge activity while the dressing remains in place, ensuring uninterrupted antimicrobial action and eliminating the time loss associated with separate treatment applications.
3Reliability
If strong colonization with multi-resistant pathogens occurs, then wound healing is delayed or prevented, but invasive surgical methods required are painful and require anesthesia
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces invasive mechanical surgical debridement methods with a non-invasive plasma-based antimicrobial system. The embedded electrodes generate plasma that provides strong antimicrobial effects against multi-resistant pathogens without requiring painful surgical intervention or anesthesia, thereby maintaining high antimicrobial reliability while dramatically improving patient comfort.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables effective, non-invasive, repeated plasma treatment and healing of chronic wounds by maintaining contact with healing materials, reducing microbial interference and promoting wound healing without the drawbacks of traditional methods.
Implementation Method 1
Device for treating a body surface of a living body by means of a dielectric barrier discharge plasma
Implementation Method 2
dielectric barrier discharge plasma
Implementation Method 3
layer made of a solid, open-pore matrix of a curative or healing material
Implementation Method 4
open-pore matrix
Data Source
AI summary
A device for treating a body surface of a living body by means of a dielectric barrier discharge plasma, with a planar, flexible dielectric (4) by which an electrode (1) attached to a high voltage source (3) is screened off from the body surface and which is suitable for placing on the body surface, functioning as counter-electrode, and is designed with a structured surface (7) which provides a gas space for the plasma discharge between dielectric (4) and body surface, which device permits the conduct of plasma treatment and the delivery of curative or healing substances without a change of the position of the device, by virtue of the fact that a layer (11) composed of a solid, open-pore matrix of a curative or healing material is arranged on the surface (7) of the dielectric (4).