IUVSTA 15th International Vacuum Congress (IVC-15), AVS 48th International Symposium (AVS-48), 11th International Conference on Solid Surfaces (ICSS-11)
    Biomaterials Tuesday Sessions
       Session BI-TuP

Paper BI-TuP7
Changes in Bone Surface after Exposure to an Electric Discharge

Tuesday, October 30, 2001, 5:30 pm, Room 134/135

Session: Surface Characterization and Non-Fouling Surfaces Poster Session
Presenter: J.H.R. Feijen, Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands
Authors: J.H.R. Feijen, Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands
C.Y.M. Maurice, Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands
E. Stoffels, Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands
G.M.W. Kroesen, Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands
B. van Rietbergen, Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands
R. Huiskes, Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands
Correspondent: Click to Email
Human bones are subject to a continuous process of regeneration. Due to mechanical stress, cracks on a microscopic scale are generated in bone tissue, but in the healthy situation these cracks are repaired before they can lead to serious damage. In the case of disturbed bone regeneration, however, due to osteoporosis, drugs that inhibit bone resorption or bone cancer, the mechanical integrity of bone is impaired by accumulation of micro cracks or large metastatic defects. Treatment of bone diseases in vivo is nowadays very difficult. We consider an alternative method of bone surface processing, using non-equilibrium (cold) electric discharges. These plasmas combine high reactivity with non-destructive character. In this study we attempt plasma treatment and observe its impacts on the surface of bone tissues. These impacts are change in roughness, etching of some layers, removal of cells, etc. Since the concept of exposing living tissues to electric discharges is new, the presented results are preliminary and the medical implications are not yet resolved. For this experiment we employ a low-pressure inductively coupled plasma (ICP), supplied with diagnostics. A Langmuir probe, an energy-resolved mass spectrometer and a Doppler shifted laser-induced fluorescence (DSLIF) techniques are used to monitor the parameters of the plasma. With an Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy (ESEM) we record images of the surface before and after exposure to the plasma. Several gases will be investigated, like oxygen, hydrogen and argon, and plasma treatment under various conditions (varying pressure, power and electric bias) will be performed. In the continuation of this work, cold atmospheric discharges will be used for bone treatment.