Effective inactivation of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa sp. in high‐frequency driven electrosurgery

Abstract

AbstractWound infection must be avoided in high‐frequency (HF) driven electrosurgery. In this study, the plasma treatment of bacterial solution is characterized by means of voltage‐current measurements, chemical activity analysis, microphotography, and numerical simulation. Here, we have found that the plasma‐activated physiological saline in HF‐driven electrosurgery is very effective in the inactivation of main human pathogenic bacteria. Our analysis shows that the effective inactivation of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa sp. in the HF‐driven electrosurgery is due to the generation of hypochlorous acid (HClO) by the electrolysis of saline solution in the electrosurgery. The simulation indicates the very effective inactivation of human pathogenic bacteria by HClO in HF‐driven electrosurgery.