Wound healing device

Abstract

A plasma coating device for treating a wound comprises a plasma chamber having: one or more electrodes, a gas supply inlet, a plasma outlet exposed to ambient pressure, and an ignition system operatively connected to the electrodes for providing a non-thermal equilibrium plasma within the plasma chamber. An aerosol delivery system is operable to introduce a bioresorbable material as an aerosol into the plasma, to produce a coating on the wound surface.

1 . A plasma coating device for treating a wound comprising a plasma chamber ( 1 ) having:
 one or more electrodes ( 6 ), a gas supply inlet ( 3 ), a plasma outlet ( 8 ) exposed to ambient pressure, and a ignition system ( 2 ) operatively connected to said electrodes for providing a non-thermal equilibrium plasma within the plasma chamber; and characterized in that said device comprises an aerosol delivery system ( 5 ) operable to introduce a bioresorbable material as an aerosol ( 7 ) into the plasma, to produce a coating on the wound surface.   
     
     
         2 . A plasma coating device according to  claim 1  in which said aerosol delivery system is arranged to provide said aerosol into the plasma chamber. 
     
     
         3 . A plasma coating device according to  claim 1  in which said aerosol delivery system is arranged to provide said aerosol into a region containing reactive species emanating from said plasma chamber outlet. 
     
     
         4 . A plasma coating device according to  claim 1  in which said aerosol delivery system is arranged to contain a bioresorbable material pre-cursor either dissolved or dispersed in a carrier liquid. 
     
     
         5 . A plasma coating device as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said ignition system is arranged to provide power to said plasma at a frequency of at least 100 kHz. 
     
     
         6 . A plasma coating device as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said ignition system is arranged to provide power to said plasma at a frequency of between 100 kHz and 500 kHz. 
     
     
         7 . A plasma coating device as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said ignition system is arranged to pulse said plasma. 
     
     
         8 . A plasma coating device as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising a ground electrode disposed between the plasma chamber outlet and the wound to be treated. 
     
     
         9 . A plasma coating device as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the plasma is one of a dielectric barrier discharge; an atmospheric pressure glow discharge, a corona plasma or a plasma jet. 
     
     
         10 . A plasma coating device as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said aerosol delivery system is arranged to supply said aerosol to said wound after a period of treating the wound with only said plasma. 
     
     
         11 . A plasma coating device as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising means for providing an active compound to said wound in conjunction with said plasma treated bioresorbable material. 
     
     
         12 . A plasma coating device as claimed in  claim 11  wherein said active compound is either dissolved in the bioresorbable material pre-cursor or introduced separately to the plasma 
     
     
         13 . A plasma coating device as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising a gas supply arranged to provide a supply of helium, argon, nitrogen or mixtures thereof to said chamber. 
     
     
         14 . A non-thermal equilibrium plasma treated bioresorbable material for use in coating a wound. 
     
     
         15 . A material for use in coating a wound as claimed in  claim 14  wherein the bioresorbable material is a biopolymer, a biodegradable polymer, a protein or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         16 . A material for use in coating a wound as claimed in  claim 15  comprising a protein including collagen, fibrin or fibronecin; a biopolymer including chitin, hyaluronan, chitosan, alginates or cellulose; or a biodegradable polymer including PLGA, polylactic acid, polycaprolactone or polyglactin. 
     
     
         17 . A material for use in coating a wound as claimed in  claim 14  comprising one of: blood, blood plasma or a blood constituent. 
     
     
         18 . A material for use in coating a wound as claimed in  claim 14  further comprising one of a pharmaceutical agent or a biologically active compound or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         19 . A material for use in coating a wound as claimed in  claim 18  comprising one or more of a drug, enzyme, cell, protein or DNA. 
     
     
         20 . A material for use in coating a wound as claimed in  claim 14  further including one or more of anti-cancer drugs, anti-inflammatory drugs, immuno-suppressants, antibiotics, antimicrobials, heparin, a functional protein, a regulatory protein, structural proteins, oligo-peptides, antigenic peptides, nucleic acids, immunogens, glycosaminoglycans. 
     
     
         21 . A material for use in coating a wound as claimed in  claim 14  further including one or more of polypeptides, polyglycans, hormones, lipids, interferons, cartilage, therapeutic biologic agents both cellular and synthetically derived, autologous, homologous and allographic and zenographic biologic agents, autologous or homologous, recombinant and synthetic derived blood cells and products containing antimicrobial or antibiotic agents, bacteriostatic agents, stem cells, stromal cells; fibroblast derived Human Dermal Collagen, matrix proteins, growth factors and cytokines, fibronectin, cells found in loose connective tissue such as endothelial cells, cells found in adipose tissue, macrophages, monocytes, adipocytes, pericytes, reticular cells found in bone marrow stroma or cultured autologous keratinocytes. 
     
     
         22 . A method of treating a wound comprising: providing a plasma coating device as claimed in  claim 1  and applying a non-thermal equilibrium plasma treated bioresorbable material to coat the wound. 
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 22  wherein the wound comprises a fresh trauma or a burn and wherein the bioresorbable material contains one or more of an antimicrobial compound, an analgesic or vasoconstrictors. 
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 22  wherein the wound is at a haemostasis stage and wherein said bioresorbable material comprises either blood plasma or platelets including one or more of vasoconstrictors, adenosine diphosphate, thrombin, fibrinogen, fibrin, cytokines, chemotactic factors, chemocines or coagulation factors. 
     
     
         25 . A method according to  claim 22  wherein the wound is at an inflammation stage and wherein said bioresorbable material comprises blood plasma including one or more of neutrophils, monocytes, phagocytes, mast cells, proteolytic enzymes or leukocytes. 
     
     
         26 . A method according to  claim 22  wherein the wound is at a granulation stage and wherein said bioresorbable material includes one or more of macrophages, Fibroblastic Growth Factor, Epidermal Growth Factor, transforming growth factor beta, extra cellular matrix, fibroblasts or myofibroblasts. 
     
     
         27 . A method according to  claim 22  wherein the wound is at a contracture stage and wherein said bioresorbable material includes one or more of fibroblasts, collagen, endothelial cells, keratinocytes, angiocytes or neurocytes. 
     
     
         28 . A method according to  claim 22  wherein the wound is at an epithelisation stage and wherein said bioresorbable material includes one or more of growth factors, fibrin, collagen or fibronectin. 
     
     
         29 . A method according to  claim 22  comprising remodelling a wound and wherein said bioresorbable material comprises type I collagen. 
     
     
         30 . A method according to  claim 22  comprising treating a large wound, burn injury or chronic non-healing ulcer and wherein said bioresorbable material comprises cytokines and growth factors. 
     
     
         31 . A method according to  claim 22  comprising re-generating a cornea and wherein said bioresorbable material comprises cytokines.