# US 11,896,203 B2 · Methods and systems for providing plasma treatments to optical surfaces > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,896,203 B2 - Document ID: US11896203B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/660,396 - Filed: 2022-04-22 - Published: 2022-08-04 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2015-09-07 - Assignees: Plasmatica Ltd. - Applicants: Plasmatica Ltd. - Inventors: Adam Sagiv; Amnon Lam - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11896203B2 ## CPC - A61B 1/127: {with means for preventing fogging (A61B1/253 takes precedence)} - A61B 1/126: {provided with means for cleaning in-use} - G02B 1/18: Coatings for keeping optical surfaces clean, e.g. hydrophobic or photo-catalytic films (G02B1/16 takes precedence) - G02B 23/2476: {Non-optical details, e.g. housings, mountings, supports} - G02B 27/0006: {with means to keep optical surfaces clean, e.g. by preventing or removing dirt, stains, contamination, condensation (G02B1/18 takes precedence; cleaning in general B08B)} - H05H 1/2406: {using dielectric barrier discharges, i.e. with a dielectric interposed between the electrodes} - A61B 2090/701: {for flexible tubular instruments, e.g. endoscopes} - A61L 2/14: Plasma, i.e. ionised gases - A61L 2103/15: Laboratory, medical or dentistry appliances, e.g. catheters or sharps - H05H 2245/30: Medical applications - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - H05H: PLASMA TECHNIQUE (apparatus or processes specially adapted for producing X-rays H05G2/00); PRODUCTION OF ACCELERATED ELECTRICALLY-CHARGED PARTICLES OR OF NEUTRONS; PRODUCTION OR ACCELERATION OF NEUTRAL MOLECULAR OR ATOMIC BEAMS - A61L: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K) ## Abstract A device for inhibiting condensation distortion on an optical element of a medical instrument configured for insertion into a body cavity is provided. The device may include a housing; a cavity within the housing, the cavity being sized to removably retain at least a portion of the medical instrument therein, wherein the portion includes the optical element; a plasma activation zone within the cavity and arranged such that when the at least a portion of the medical instrument is retained within the cavity, the optical element is located within the plasma activation zone; a plasma generator configured to be activated to cause formation of a plasma cloud in the plasma activation zone in a vicinity of the optical element; and a controller configured to activate the plasma generator for a time period sufficient to cause the optical element to become hydrophilic prior to insertion into the body cavity. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device for inhibiting condensation distortion on an optical element of a medical instrument configured for insertion into a body cavity, the device comprising: a housing; a cavity within the housing, the cavity being configured to removably retain at least a portion of the medical instrument therein, wherein the at least a portion of the medical instrument includes the optical element; a plasma activation zone within the cavity, wherein the cavity within the housing is configured to retain the at least a portion of the medical instrument within the cavity in a manner orienting an outer surface of the optical element within the plasma activation zone, to thereby enable plasma treatment of the outer surface of the optical element; a plasma generator configured to be activated to cause formation of a plasma cloud in the plasma activation zone in a vicinity of the outer surface of the optical element, thereby enabling treatment of the outer surface of the optical element with plasma; and a controller configured to activate the plasma generator for a time period sufficient to cause the optical element to become hydrophilic prior to insertion into the body cavity. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the medical instrument includes a scope having an elongated shaft, the cavity includes an elongated channel for receiving the elongated shaft, and the plasma activation zone is located proximate a distal end of the elongated channel. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The device of claim 2, wherein the scope includes a laparoscope or an endoscope. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The device of claim 2, wherein the optical element includes a lens element on a distal end of the elongated shaft. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The device of claim 2, wherein the elongated channel is sized to receive a sheath surrounding a portion of the elongated shaft including the optical element. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The device of claim 5, wherein the sheath is formed of a dielectric material. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The device of claim 5, wherein the housing is configured such that the sheath surrounds the optical element when the optical element is in the plasma activation zone. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The device of claim 5, further configured to cause the plasma cloud to occur within the sheath. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the cavity is configured to receive a sheath having a sheath electrode therein and having an external electrical contact, and wherein the cavity includes an internal contact configured to form an electrical connection with the external contact when the sheath is located within the cavity, to thereby enable a supply of energy to the sheath electrode. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The device of claim 9, further comprising at least one pump configured to establish at least a partial vacuum within the sheath in an area of the sheath electrode. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The device of claim 9, wherein the housing includes a housing electrode therein. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The device of claim 11, wherein the housing electrode is configured to form an electrical circuit with the sheath electrode when the sheath is inserted in the cavity. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The device of claim 9, further including a circuit for electrically transferring power to the sheath electrode. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The device of claim 10, wherein the at least one pump includes a plurality of interconnected pumps. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to activate the plasma generator for a time period sufficient to cause the optical element to become super-hydrophilic prior to insertion into the body cavity. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the plasma generator is configured cause formation of the plasma cloud through Dielectric Barrier Discharge. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The device of claim 15, wherein causing the optical element to become super-hydrophilic provides for a contact angle of less than 15 degrees between a fluid and the outer surface of the optical element. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The device of claim 15, wherein causing the optical element to become super-hydrophilic provides for a contact angle of less than 10 degrees between a fluid and the outer surface of the optical element. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the cavity is configured to seal against the medical instrument to isolate the plasma activation zone from a region exterior to the housing. ### Claim 20 (depends on 5) The device of claim 5, wherein the cavity is configured to seal against the sheath to isolate the plasma activation zone from a region exterior to the housing.