Low-temperature plasma efficiently promotes blood coagulation with less thermal injury in porcine models

How to maintain the efficacy of blood coagulation while minimizing thermal damage has been a significant challenge in the optimization of clinical electrosurgical units (ESUs). Recent studies have reported that reactive species produced by low-temperature plasma (LTP) can promote blood coagulation. In this study, two forms of home-made atmospheric pressure plasma jets (APPJs) were compared to argon plasma coagulation (APC) and utilized in three different porcine bleeding models. The results indicated that APPJ can effectively generate reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS), including OH radicals, excited nitrogen molecules and O atoms. Although no significant differences in coagulation rates were observed among the three devices, APPJs exhibited lower maximum operating temperatures. The results of H&E staining revealed that APPJs resulted in reduced thermal damage as well. In conclusion, two self-developed APPJs demonstrated reliable coagulation efficacy with reduced thermal damage in comparison to APC. The study provides valuable insights and empirical support for the future optimization of ESUs.