Measuring Temperatures Generated by Air Plasma Technology

The atmospheric pressure air plasma technology is based on the general principle of transforming the air into an ideal conductor of plasma energy thanks to the application of an electric potential difference able to ionize the molecules. Applying the principle to the human surgery, it comes to be possible to assure an energy transfer from plasma-generator devices to the human tissue in a relatively simple way: passing through the air, with exceptionally limited effects in terms of tissue heating. Such a condition is very useful to assure effective treatments in surgery: less thermal damage, fewer side effects on the patient. This is also what emerged during the use of innovative devices embedding the Airplasma® technology (by Otech Industry S.r.l.), where temperatures on human tissues were measured stably below 50°C. However, the profiles assumed by the temperature along the different electrodes during the operating conditions are rather unclear. This knowledge is essential to improve the efficiency of the electrodes (through their redesign in shapes and materials) as well as to reduce the invasiveness of surgical interventions. The present work had the purpose of characterizing the most common electrodes thanks to temperature measurements carried out by infrared sensors respect to different operating conditions. A simplified finite element model was also developed to support the optimal redesign of electrodes.