Production of Plasma Based Surgical Device for Discectomy Operations and Testing in Novel in-vitro Model

In this research, we produced a plasma-based surgical device for operations for spine discectomy. It covers the details of the hardware of focused plasma-based (gas plasma, plasma jet) surgical prototype device manufacturing which will be used in spine discectomy surgery, identification of active device operating conditions with the in vitro tests and evaluation of performance. Human spinal discs material between the vertebra bones may degenerate because of a series of biomechanical and biochemical changes over time. This degeneration and its further state which known as herniation cause nerve compression, pain, sensory deficits, power reduction, and lack of reflexes in humans. Conditions caused by intervertebral disc herniation are a common health problem and cause significant work loss. Low sensitivities of mechanical methods and control challenges, cause recurrence which is one of the biggest problem (to be re-herniation) for this surgery. In this study, the first generation of a portable atmospheric "focused plasma probe" was designed, implemented and its performance has been evaluated for the view of spine discectomy surgery. In the research, primarily, production of a prototype device consisting of high-voltage power supply, bipolar plasma probe, gas supply control unit has been made. High voltage power supply is one of the critical parts of this study and this power supply has been realized by using transformer and MOSFETs connected according to the half-bridge topology. Its power can easily adjustable up to 150 watts by changing its duty cycle and voltage. Then, the effect of power (watt) has been tested at in vitro conditions. A newly designed in-vitro model was developed due to the requirements of spine discectomy. Finally, we developed a new prototype device which has a controllable destruction area with a synthetic polymer which is presented as a tissue model.