UVC LED Irradiation Apparatus for Pathogen Inactivation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for wound infections, scarring, and cancerous growths face challenges such as antibiotic resistance, adverse side effects, and unsightly scarring, particularly in ophthalmic surgery, where existing methods are either ineffective or costly and may cause collateral tissue damage.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus utilizing a light-emitting diode (LED) emitting electromagnetic radiation at a wavelength of approximately 265nm, with adjustable power output and irradiation intensity, is used to treat body tissues, including the eye, to inactivate pathogens and prevent scarring, allowing for precise targeting and minimizing tissue damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If antibiotics are used to treat wound infections, then infection treatment is achieved, but antibiotic resistance develops and treatment cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces chemical antibiotics with physical UV irradiation at 265nm wavelength to treat infections. The LED-based UV source directly inactivates microorganisms through DNA damage without leaving residual chemicals that cause resistance, thus substituting a mechanical/physical treatment modality for chemical therapy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent specifies a precise wavelength parameter of 265nm for the UV LED source, which corresponds to the absorption peak of DNA. This parameter optimization ensures maximum microbial inactivation efficiency while minimizing unnecessary tissue exposure, achieving effective infection treatment without the harmful side effects of broad-spectrum antibiotics.
2Reliability
If UV radiation is used to treat infections, then pathogen inactivation is achieved, but tissue damage may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a focused LED UV source that delivers radiation to a specific localized treatment zone. The optical design concentrates energy precisely where needed (on the infected tissue) while surrounding healthy tissue receives minimal exposure, thereby achieving effective pathogen inactivation at the target site without causing collateral damage to adjacent tissues.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes pulsed or intermittent UV irradiation rather than continuous exposure. This periodic application allows brief intervals for tissue recovery and reduces cumulative energy dose to sensitive tissues, maintaining effective microbial killing while minimizing the risk of UV-induced tissue damage.
3Productivity
If conventional surgery is performed, then treatment is achieved, but scarring occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies UV irradiation as a preliminary or adjunctive treatment to surgery to prevent scarring. By treating tissues with 265nm UV radiation before or after surgical intervention, the process modulates cellular responses to reduce fibrosis and scar formation, addressing the harmful scarring effect before it fully develops.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent exploits the controlled damaging effect of UV radiation on DNA to prevent excessive scar formation. By inducing controlled DNA damage at low doses, the treatment triggers beneficial biological responses that regulate fibroblast activity and collagen deposition, thereby converting the potentially harmful UV effect into a protective anti-scarring mechanism.
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
The UVC radiation effectively inactivates pathogens and reduces scarring by interfering with DNA replication, providing a rapid and effective treatment that reduces the risk of antibiotic resistance and collateral tissue damage, while also being cost-effective and suitable for use in various surgical procedures.
Implementation Method 1
a source of electromagnetic radiation, characterized in that said source comprises a light-emitting diode (LED) adapted to emit radiation at a wavelength of approximately 265nm
Implementation Method 2
The UVC radiation effectively inactivates pathogens and reduces scarring by interfering with DNA replication
Data Source
AI summary
Infections of body tissues, particularly of the eye or of wounds, are treated by brief low-intensity irradiation with ultraviolet radiation in the UVC band. A suitable treatment device contains a light-emitting diode producing UVC radiation at a wavelength of about 265 nm, at a power output of 5 mW, directed on to a zone of tissue about 4 mm in diameter. An optical aiming system indicates the zone of tissue to be irradiated. Irradiation for periods as brief as 1 second has been found effective, which equates to a dose of 4 mJ/cm2 delivered to the tissue. Longer periods and higher intensities may be used for more resistant infections. Such irradiation may be delivered endoscopically to treat internal infections or to prevent infection during surgery. The device may be hand held or mounted to an ophthalmic slit lamp or other support.