Endoscopic Dielectric Barrier Discharge Microplasma for Blood Coagulation

An endoscope fitted with dielectric barrier discharge‐generated microplasma was investigated for blood coagulation. Microplasma is a type of nonthermal plasma generated at atmospheric pressure that was used in plasma medicine applications. Dog blood samples were subjected to endoscopic microplasma treatment. Microplasma electrodes placed at the side and front part of the endoscope produced a coagulation effect, which increased with the increase of discharge voltage and treatment time. Microplasma was generated in environmental air using a negative pulse voltage Marx generator. The coagulation effect was quantified by analyzing the images taken before and after the microplasma treatment, and it could be attributed to reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. The thermal effect on the blood sample did not contribute to the coagulation process, as shown by the thermal images before and after microplasma treatments. The measured emission spectra confirmed the generation of reactive species in the microplasma. These species are likely involved in the observed coagulation effect.