Systems and methods for treatment of topical conditions

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a variety of systems, techniques and machine readable programs for using plasmas and/or electric fields alone, or in combination with other therapies, to treat different tissue conditions as well as other conditions, such as tumors, bacterial infections and the like.

1 . A method of treating a topical condition, comprising:
 a) providing an electrode adapted to be placed proximate an anatomical region of interest having a topical condition; and   b) applying an electric field or plasma to the region of interest to treat the topical condition, wherein applying the electric field or plasma includes applying a pulsed voltage waveform to the electrode to generate a plasma proximate the electrode, the pulsed voltage waveform having pulses with durations between about 0.11 ns and 100 ns, and having a pulse repetition rate less than about 3,000 Hz.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the power deposited by the plasma on the anatomical region of interest is between about 1.0 milliwatts per square centimeter and about 10.0 watts per square centimeter. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the power deposited by the plasma on the anatomical region of interest is between about 10.0 milliwatts per square centimeter and about 1.0 watts per square centimeter. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the anatomical region of interest is exposed to the plasma for between about five seconds and about fifteen minutes. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the anatomical region of interest is exposed to the plasma for between about thirty seconds and about ten minutes. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the anatomical region of interest is exposed to the plasma for between about three minutes and about seven minutes. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the anatomical region of interest is not wetted with a beneficial agent during the treatment. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the anatomical region of interest is wetted with a beneficial agent prior to applying plasma or an electric field to the region of interest. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the beneficial agent is water. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the beneficial agent includes at least one material selected from the group consisting of organic materials, gaseous materials, gelatinous materials, liquid materials amino acids, saline, deionized water, and phosphate buffered saline. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the topical condition includes onychomycosis. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the topical condition includes psoriasis. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the topical condition includes an infection. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the topical condition includes vitiligo. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species are delivered to the region of interest. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising applying a sensitizing material to the region of interest prior to application of plasma to the region of interest. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising applying a blocking material to tissue proximate the region of interest to protect the tissue from plasma. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electric field has a strength between about 3,000V/mm and 20,000 V/mm. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the electric field does not result in substantial formation of plasma in the anatomical region of interest. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the electric field results in no detectable plasma formation in or on the anatomical region of interest.