Application of a bifilar helix discharge in endoscope biopsy channels for plasma decontamination and biomedical aspects

In modern medicine endoscopes are essential diagnostic and therapeutic tools. Due to their complex geometry, the thermolability of the used materials and the integrated sensitive electronics only a few sterilization techniques are applicable for this high cost medical product, e.g. sterilization with ethylene oxide (ETO) or the low temperature steam sterilization with formaldehyde. However, these techniques use carcinogenic chemicals and therefore need long outgas-times or operate at low pressure, which is technically demanding. Furthermore, the long and narrow flexible tubes inside the endoscopes are challenging.