Low-temperature plasma catheter for less-invasive, localized treatment of endocarditis and atherosclerosis
AssigneeThe Penn State Research Foundation
InventorsSean David Knecht, Christopher A. Siedlecki, Sven Gunnar Bilen, Michael Matthew Micci, Ian Gilchrist, Girish Soorappa Kirimanjeswara
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Abstract
Various aspects of the invention relate to methods and devices for treating diseases and conditions including atherosclerosis and endocarditis using low-temperature, non-equilibrium plasmas. A device may be, for example, a catheter that carries electrodes and a dielectric material for generating a localized, non-equilibrium plasma in a bodily fluid such as blood.
Claims16
A method of treating a disease or condition in a subject, the method comprising:
- contacting the subject with a catheter comprising a lumen carrying a first electrode and a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode by a dielectric;
- causing the first electrode, the second electrode and/or the dielectric to contact with a bodily fluid of the subject;
- and
- providing an electric current via the first electrode or the second electrode, thereby producing a localized, non-equilibrium plasma from the bodily fluid of the subject,
- wherein less than 1 mL of a gas is generated in the subject after providing the electric current and producing the localized, non-equilibrium plasma from the bodily fluid.
A method of treating a disease or condition in a subject, the method comprising:
- contacting the subject with a catheter comprising a distal aperture fluidly coupled to a lumen carrying a first electrode and a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode by a dielectric;
- expelling the first electrode, the second electrode, and/or the dielectric from the lumen of the catheter through the distal aperture of the catheter into contact with a bodily fluid of the subject;
- providing an electric current via the first electrode or the second electrode, thereby producing a localized, non-equilibrium plasma from the bodily fluid of the subject,
- wherein less than 1 mL of a gas is generated in the subject after providing the electric current and producing the localized, non-equilibrium plasma from the bodily fluid;
- and
- retracting the one or more of the first electrode, the second electrode, and the dielectric into the lumen of the catheter through the distal aperture of the catheter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.