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WO2007123859A2 - Méthode et dispositif inactivant et tuant des cellules et organismes indésirables - Google Patents

Méthode et dispositif inactivant et tuant des cellules et organismes indésirables Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2007123859A2
WO2007123859A2 PCT/US2007/009202 US2007009202W WO2007123859A2 WO 2007123859 A2 WO2007123859 A2 WO 2007123859A2 US 2007009202 W US2007009202 W US 2007009202W WO 2007123859 A2 WO2007123859 A2 WO 2007123859A2
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Prior art keywords
light
dose
electromagnetic radiation
uvc
germicidal
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WO2007123859A3 (fr
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William E. Cumbie
Douglas B. Juanarena
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Keraderm LLC
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Keraderm LLC
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    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61N—ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY
    • A61N5/00—Radiation therapy
    • A61N5/06—Radiation therapy using light
    • A61N5/0613—Apparatus adapted for a specific treatment
    • A61N5/0616—Skin treatment other than tanning
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61N—ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY
    • A61N5/00—Radiation therapy
    • A61N5/06—Radiation therapy using light
    • A61N5/0613—Apparatus adapted for a specific treatment
    • A61N5/0624—Apparatus adapted for a specific treatment for eliminating microbes, germs, bacteria on or in the body
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61N—ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY
    • A61N5/00—Radiation therapy
    • A61N5/06—Radiation therapy using light
    • A61N2005/0658—Radiation therapy using light characterised by the wavelength of light used
    • A61N2005/0661—Radiation therapy using light characterised by the wavelength of light used ultraviolet

Definitions

  • UVC range 240 nm to 280 nm
  • UVC range the most germicidal of all light.
  • UVC due to its short wavelength, UVC does not penetrate substances very deeply. For example, the sun emits a large amount of UVC, however, no UVC reaches the earth's surface because it is completely absorbed in the atmosphere.
  • Literature on UVC notes that it cannot significantly penetrate any medium besides air and relatively clean water due to its short wavelength. This lack of penetration has prevented those skilled in the art from trying to use UVC to inactivate or kill organisms in tissue. It has also caused those skilled in the art to research forms of germicidal light other than UVC that may be more capable of penetrating tissue and other mediums.
  • the present invention a method, means, and apparatus to prevent and treat infections and disorders, uses germicidal light to inactivate and/or kill the organisms or cells that cause infections and other disorders.
  • the method of treatment comprises irradiating the area to be treated using electromagnetic radiation of a germicidal nature.
  • the method utilizes a previously unrecognized ability of germicidal light to penetrate the skin, nails, and other membranes sufficiently to successfully treat and prevent disorders.
  • Said electromagnetic radiation damages the organisms and cells that cause disorders such as skin and nail infections and renders them substantially incapable of reproducing. Without the ability to replicate the organism cannot continue to infest the skin and nails. The damage inflicted can also be sufficient to kill the organism outright. An infection is thereby prevented (if organisms are present, but infection has not yet begun), and the infection is cured if the infection already exists.
  • the method of the invention may thus include one or more of the following steps: diagnosing an infection or potential infection; determining the location of the infection, especially in skin or nail; testing transmissivity of the tissue surrounding the location to light; calculating an amount of light necessary to achieve the proper dosage at the infected area, especially a location beneath an amount of skin or nail; selecting a light source to be used; selecting a filter to filter a portion of the light; modifying the light to enhance its effectiveness; directing the light to the appropriate area, such as by using shields or light guides; supplementing the light treatment; applying treatment cycles; and repeating some or all of the steps as necessary.
  • the light source may be a narrowband light source.
  • the light source may be a broadband light source.
  • light may be modified by at least one of pulsing, combing light sources, filtering the light, modulating the light, and evaluating the energy of the light.
  • light may be directed to a particular area by a shield or light guide.
  • the method of the invention can be supplemented with additional treatments including, but not limited to, antiobiotics, antibodies, and chemotherapeutic agents.
  • light may be provided in treatment cycles, which include, but are not limited to, applying multiple types of light sequentially, applying multiple types of light in parallel, and applying light in periodic does.
  • germicidal light can be used to inactivate and kill undesirable cells in the treatment.
  • inactivate refers to rendering an organism incapable of reproducing. A population of organisms is “substantially incapable of reproducing” when enough organisms have been inactivated that they are unable to maintain a viable population and thus dwindle until the remaining organisms cannot sustain an infection.
  • kill refers to the cessation of metabolic processes in the organism. This targeted inactivation and killing of undesirable cells can be used to treat disorders such as cancer, tumors, and autoimmune disorders such as psoriasis. See for example U.S.
  • Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a light according to an embodiment of the present invention for use in treating skin or nail.
  • Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of a light according to an embodiment of the present invention for use in treating an internal orifice.
  • Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view showing various bands of light.
  • Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view of a light device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention for use in treating skin or nail.
  • Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of a light device accessories according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention for use in treating skin or nail.
  • FIG. 5 are illustrative or representative treatments and are not intended to be exhaustive. Those skilled in the art will readily discern additional applications that are covered by this technology and are therefore included in this disclosure such as treatment of warts, superficial skin infections, etc.
  • the invention takes advantage of the previously unrecognized fact that although it is true that UVC does not penetrate tissue easily, a small amount can penetrate for a short distance into relatively solid material such as tissue and nails.
  • the small amount of UVC light that does penetrate does so well enough to inactivate or kill cells that are undesirable. This is an unexpected result and forms one of the foundations for the novel use of germicidal light to treat skin and nail infections. See Cumbie, U.S. Patent No. 6,960,201 and U.S. Application 11/154,707 filed 6/17/2005, each of which is incorporated herein by reference.
  • UV light can also be carcinogenic.
  • UV light may be used successfully to treat cancerous cells. This has prevented UV light from being researched as a cure for cancer - particularly skin cancer, which appears to be caused by exposure to sunlight - particularly UV light. However, it is the chronic exposure to ultraviolet light that is the greatest cause of its carcinogenicity. Acute exposure is not as carcinogenic as chronic exposure because it does not expose cells to UV light repeatedly thereby causing mutations that eventually evolve into cancerous cells.
  • the invention disclosed in this application can also be used to inactivate or kill cells that have become detrimental to health, such as cancer cells and tumors. Furthermore, this invention can be used to inactivate organisms that can cause disease, infections, wounds, and other disorders. 4.1 UVC Li ⁇ ht Dose Necessary to Inactivate Microbes
  • UVC light has the ability to inactivate organisms by damaging the organism's
  • Inactivation energies for organisms using UVC light alone vary from less than 1 mj/cm2 to greater than 100,000 mj/cm 2 . This is a very wide range, however, most organisms tend to be inactivated in the lower 1% of this range, i.e., 1 mj/cm 2 to 1,000 mj/cm 2 (1 j/cm 2 ).
  • the EPA guidance manual on Alternate Disinfectants and Oxidants (April 1999) devotes Chapter 8 to a discussion of germicidal UV as a disinfectant for drinking water.
  • the manual notes that a UV wavelength of 240 to 280 nm is highly absorbed by the RNA and DNA of a microorganism.
  • the absorbance of UV by the organisms results in the damage to the organism's ability to reproduce.
  • the damage is often caused by the dimerization of pyrimidine molecules.
  • a dimer is a molecule consisting of two identical simpler molecules and dimerization is the process of linking the two molecules together. Dimerization of the pyrimidine molecules distorts the DNA helical structure.
  • the EPA guidance manual also notes that the dose to inactivate 90% of most types of organisms is very low with a typical range of 2 to 6 mJ/cm 2 .
  • the manual notes that the germicidal radiation can be generated by a number of sources including a low pressure mercury lamp emitting at 254 nm, a medium pressure lamp emitting at 180 to 1370 nm, or lamps that emit at other wavelengths in a high intensity pulsed manner.
  • Wide spectrum light has germicidal properties and can offer some advantages over the use of narrowband UV light. These advantages can include the following: a. Although the UV component of polychromatic light still does not penetrate easily, other wavelengths can penetrate better and thus contribute relatively more than usual to inactivating organisms. Thus, polychromatic radiation has the potential to inactivate organisms using less energy in the UVC range than would be required using UVC light alone. b. Polychromatic light or light containing multiple wavelengths can act on various processes of the cells and cause inactivation of organisms at lower energies than ultraviolet light alone.
  • Wideband UVC light defined as light that covers the entire UVC spectrum of 240 run to 280 nm (as opposed to monochromatic UVC light that emits primarily at one wavelength, such as 254 nm for a low pressure mercury lamp) has germicidal properties and offers advantages to the use of narrowband UV light. These advantages include the following: a. Since all of the UVC range exhibits strong germicidal properties, it is possible to spread the dosage over the entire band, limiting the amount of light that is delivered at any one wavelength. This can help alleviate any negative responses to the UV (such as erythema). b.
  • UVC ultraviolet C
  • 280 nm Use of broad band UVC across the range of 240 nm and 280 nm ensures that energy is delivered at wavelengths to which all organisms are susceptible.
  • Pulsed light variants of polychromatic and UVC light also have germicidal properties and can offer advantages over the use of narrowband UV light. These advantages can include the following: a. Applicant's laboratory data shows that high intensity pulses are significantly more effective at penetrating tissue than when the same amount of continuous monochromatic light is applied over a longer period of time. Other research that Applicant has performed indicates that pulsing of high-energy, wide spectrum light can increase the depth of penetration through tissue by several orders of magnitude compared to continuous monochromatic light. This finding, which is not common knowledge to those skilled in the art of treating skin and other body disorders, permits the novel use of pulsed light to inactivate organisms at a much lower dose of UVC than continuously emitting light. b.
  • pulsed light can be more effectively used to penetrate tissue and inactivate organisms, it can substantially reduce the time necessary for treatment. c. Additionally, since the pulsed light can be used to more effectively to penetrate tissue, it can be used to treat infections that are substantially deeper than surface infections. d. Pulsed light emits significantly higher energy in a very short time period compared with continuous light. These short, high intensity pulses appear to overwhelm cells and damage vital components that are unable to dissipate the excess instantaneous energy being applied. Additionally, short pulses of light with comparatively longer periods of low light or no light permit time for energy to dissipate and thus limits the amount of heat experienced by surrounding tissues, thereby limiting collateral damage e.
  • the very high peak of the energy pulse is often several orders of magnitude greater than the average energy applied. This high peak dose is more likely to exceed the threshold energy (also called the energy of activation), thereby driving reactions that would not begin until this threshold is reached. Thus, these peak doses can trigger reactions that will contribute to the inactivation of organisms by damaging vital components or forming compounds that are antibiotic in nature such as singlet oxygen or ozone.
  • Pulsed light can damage undesirable cells with a lower overall doses since the pulsed light can deliver extremely high doses that overwhelm the cell in short pulses, yet with substantial time periods ("down time") between pulses. Thus an organism may be exposed to a peak of several orders of magnitude greater than if the light were uniformly spread over time.
  • Coherent light variants of polychromatic and UVC light such as lasers also have germicidal properties and can offer advantages to the use of narrowband UV light. These advantages can include the following: a. Lasers can be pulsed to offer the same advantages that other pulsed light sources possess, namely they can penetrate better than continuous light. b. AU lasers make use of coherent light of a very narrow band. The lasers can thus be tuned to do the most damage to infectious organisms while not affecting other organisms as greatly. For example, if a particular organism is best deactivated at a wavelength of 245 nm, a tunable laser could be used to deliver light precisely at the 245 nm wavelength. Surrounding tissue and organisms would not be as greatly affected since most typical organisms are affected most strongly between 258 nm and 262 nm.
  • Multichromatic light can have the following advantages, especially when a characteristic of the emitted light has been altered to enhance the properties of the light.
  • a "light characteristic" is a property of light. Light characteristics include but are not limited to, wavelength, energy, penetration, frequency of exposure (pulsing), length of exposure, etc. a. a.
  • High peak doses - very high peak doses can be delivered using high energy pulses that have short durations. The overall energy applied can still be lower on average than applied by a continuous lamp, however, the peak doses could be 10 to 1,000,000 times or more the average dose. The high peak doses can act as a 'punch' to cause damage that might not be accomplished at lower energies.
  • Repetitive pulsating doses a lamp that is pulsed, or strobed, can deliver over one hundred intense pulses per second or more. These pulses have the effect of rapidly changing the environment of the organism and also affecting its biological processes. The repetitive fluctuations can do damage that continuous light might not accomplish, while at the same time protecting the surrounding skin from deleterious effects that other forms of light at the same dosage might cause.
  • An analogy would be the flexing of a piece of metal. While it might flex once or for a dozen times without breaking, continuous flexing of a piece of metal will cause it to fatigue and eventually break. With pulsed light, the strobing of light at multiple pulses per second can affect this type of fatigue and failure in an organism in a short period of time.
  • the strobing may also create harmonic waves, which can do additional damage to the cellular processes of the organism.
  • High Voltage Pulsing - Pulsing with very high voltage can shift the spectra of the light to shorter wavelengths and dramatically increase the amount of light emitted in the UV range, which is also the wavelength that has been found to be the most germicidal. High voltage pulsing can deliver an extremely high peak dose (generally peaks measured in megawatts) in a very small time period (generally time periods of microseconds).
  • the RC-700 that was used in pilot clinical trials discussed in this application delivered a 0.2 megawatt (200,000 watts) peak power dose when the average power was only 600 watts which makes the peak dose approximately 333 times the average dose (note this data is input power, not light energy output). Additionally, this pulse was delivered via pulses
  • the total 'on' time of the lamp was 3 milliseconds per second, or to put it another way the lamp was 'on' only 0.3% of the time. This equates to a peak instantaneous dose of more than one hundred thousand times the average dose if the same light had been applied at a constant rate with no pulsing.
  • the method includes irradiating a target tissue 104, such as a skin or nail, with light 106.
  • the procedure uses specific types and levels of light having a germicidal electromagnetic radiation component to take advantage of the previously unrecognized ability of radiation to penetrate tissues and other matter sufficiently to inactivate organisms and undesirable cells without unduly harming the host (e.g., human or animal patient).
  • said method and means can also keep activation dose at a safe (“lower”) level by inactivating an organism.
  • This method and means also combines the previously unrecognized ability of pulsing of light to significantly enhance the light's ability to penetrate tissue and to increase the efficacy of said germicidal light.
  • the method also makes use of the enhanced efficacy of pulsed light to inactivate cells by disruption of essential cellular processes due to the light's 'strobing' effect and its high energy peak pulses.
  • the method and means to inactivate cells and organisms also includes the novel combination of using polychromatic light combined with filters that prevent undesirable bandwidths from reaching the area to be treated.
  • a device 100 to prevent and treat infections can incorporate a number of special features to enhance treatment and promote safety.
  • the treatment device may contain a light source 110 that can be tuned to a specific spectral output or has a fixed spectral output 106.
  • a combination of lamps and sources 110,112 may also be used.
  • the treatment device may also contain very small lamps 114 ( Figure 2) capable of being inserted in small spaces 116 or directly on the surface to be treated. This will permit its use to treat orifices or internal passageways 116 that may be affected such as the pulmonary tract or the digestive tract.
  • Light can also be concentrated and transmitted via a light guide 118 thus permitting high doses to be precisely applied to the area to be treated.
  • attachments may be added to the device to permit light to be directed to the area to be treated including attachments 120 that evenly diffuse light to a larger area being treated or to direct and concentrate light to a smaller area being treated.
  • Attachments 118 can also be used that are flexible and conform to the area being treated and are capable of transmitting light to the area being treated.
  • the treatment device can use polychromatic light to prevent and treat infections. This light may be conditioned in a number of ways to make it more efficacious and safer. For example, the light can be pulsed to achieve an improvement in efficacy of three orders of magnitude or more. Also, the unwanted bandwidths of the
  • the treatment device can also use monochromatic light or narrowband light to treat cells or organisms.
  • This light can be provided by a polychromatic light source that is filtered to provide only a limited bandwidth, a tunable laser, or a monochromatic light source such as some excimer lamps emit or that a low pressure mercury lamp would emit.
  • the device can be used to treat animals as well as humans. In fact, the ability of pulsed light to enhance penetration greatly increases the devices efficacy for animals that have thicker hides or nails (e.g., hoofs or claws).
  • thermocide as used in this application, is defined as a method of inactivating or killing an organism, where the main cause of destruction is by heating the entire organism.
  • Geneticide as used in this application, is defined as destroying an organism by damaging its genetic material, which kills or inactivates the organism. Geneticide may require a much lower level of electromagnetic radiation to achieve. Thus, the treatment and device described in this application does not rely on thermocide to inactivate an organism or cell.
  • One way to substantially increase the penetrating power of UVC and other forms of germicidal radiation is to administer the light in the form of very short, high intensity pulses.
  • This form of application takes advantage of the ability of a powerful peak dose to punch through intervening tissue. It also creates a pulsed environment where parameters change rapidly, which is also detrimental to an organism trying to maintain a steady state biotic condition.
  • the high intensity also ensures that the minimum dosage strength necessary to damage an organism is delivered while the 'off times' in between the pulses greatly decreases the amount of energy that actually is delivered thus minimizing exposure.
  • One unit was a low pressure mercury lamp unit manufactured by American Ultraviolet, model CE-12-2H with two UV bulbs each consuming 6 watts of energy and emitting approximately 85% of their light as UV at 254 run. See Table 1 below. This unit represented a steady state, non-pulsing source of UVC.
  • the second device was a xenon pulsed lamp manufactured by Xenon corporation, model RC-700 capable of pulsing 120 times per second (25 ⁇ s on and 8.3 ms off).
  • the RC-700 unit was capable of providing an average output of 1 to 5 mw/cm 2 of UVC at 254 nm when its intensity was averaged over a period of several seconds. While the unit emitted a low average wattage of UVC, when it was pulsing (its pulse time was 0.3% of the total time) it could emit an equivalent peak dose of between 333 to 1666
  • UVC Detection of UVC was accomplished using an IL1700 radiometer equipped with an SHD240 detector. This device can be used to measure peak dosages or can provide an average dosage over time. The average dosage over time was of interest in this research since the timing and the length of individual pulses of the xenon flash bulb were well documented.
  • Nail clippings were used since the research was to be applied first to treatment of nail infections. However, similar results are expected from exposing skin and other tissues to these forms of germicidal light.
  • Prototype A was a low pressure mercury lamp (LPML) that was capable of providing at total of 17 mw/cm 2 of UVC at 254 nm over the area to be treated.
  • the second device labeled Prototype B was a pulse xenon lamp (XPL) capable of providing pulsed full spectrum light from approximately 180 nm to more than 1600 nm.
  • Prototype B was capable of providing a total of 3.87 mw/cm 2 of UVC from 240 to 280 nm over the area to be treated.
  • Total dosage of UVC to the nail was therefore approximately 1.86 J/cm 2 for each of the four treatments or about 1712 th as much given using Prototype A.
  • Light for the treatment was generated by a commercially available xenon pulsed lamp manufactured by Xenon (model RC-700) which is used to disinfect surfaces such as food containers. As opposed to the narrowband mercury lamp, the xenon lamp provide multiple wavelengths of light. In addition to the UVC wavelengths
  • the lamp also provided the following dosages of light during each treatment lasting 8 minutes:
  • UVC applied to nails with a low pressure mercury lamp is able to inactivate organisms that cause nail infections and clear the infection. It also appears that pulsed, broad spectrum germicidal light is even more efficacious in curing nail infections. This occurred even though the UVC dose of the pulsed light was less than 10% of that delivered by the low pressure mercury lamp. Thus, while treatment with UVC alone successfully treated nail infections, treatment with broad spectrum light pulsed germicidal light had the unexpected result of being more efficacious at much lower doses.
  • UV emitting LEDs In the last several years LEDs have been developed that can emit light in the UVC range. These LEDs have begun to be used in germicidal applications such as the disinfection of air and water. However, they would not be as attractive to prevent and treat infections due to their low power, which has been thought to greatly decrease their ability to penetrate and deliver the required dose. IfLEDs emitting UVC were pulsed correctly, such as through the use of selective filters, shields, mirrors, regulators or modulators, the
  • LED lights have great potential to treat infections.
  • excimer lamps that emit light in the UVC range that can be pulsed to increase their efficacy.
  • xenon-iodine (XeI, also designated as XeJ) excimer lamps emits most of its light at 253 ran.
  • chlorine (Cl-Cl) excimer lamps emit at 258 nm and xenon-bromine (XeBr) emit at 283 nm. While the latter emission is just outside the UVC range it still has the potential to be very germicidal. Pulsing of these lamps could greatly increase their efficacy in treating infections.
  • the ability of these lamps to deliver one or several high energy pulses that are precisely targeted also makes them ideal for use as a preventative application. For example, those prone to nail infections may have a preventative dose applied during periodic visits to a podiatrist.
  • High current operation has three times the UVC output of low current operation per applied
  • High current operation has about two times the UVB output of low current operation per applied
  • Polychromatic light refers to a wide range of light. In some embodiments, polychromatic light are undesirable due to their side affects. For example UVB in even
  • filters can reduce or totally eliminate undesirable wavelengths of light. This can be accomplished by a variety of means such, for example, as the use of notch filters (that exclude only a very specific band of light), mirrors that preferentially reflect certain wavelengths of light but absorb unwanted bandwidths, or thin films applied over optically transparent materials to filter out undesirable bandwidths. This is not an exhaustive list but is illustrative of types of filtering that one skilled in the art could use to screen out undesirable light.
  • the present invention is not limited to a specific type of filter.
  • Bakers Yeast was used as the indicator organism since it is easy to culture. One-quarter teaspoon of bakers yeast was mixed in one-quarter cup of warm water and fully dissolved. One ml of solution was put in each of 6 small sterile containers. Each container was irradiated as follows: IA- fully covered, no UV light
  • UV at 254 nm is effective in inactivating yeast.
  • wavelengths generated by a mercury lamp above 425 nm has little germicidal effect.
  • the sample irradiated with a 275 nm and a 325 nm bandpass filter have similar inactivation (about half that of the sample with no filters). This indicates that the germicidal light is in the range of 325 nm to 425 nm (since if it was between 275 to 325 nm there would be a difference in the two samples growth).
  • UVC range is germicidal since it is the band that most readily damages the genetic material of an organism and prevents it from reproducing. Although UVC in low doses can inactivate an organism substantially by damaging its genetic material, application of UVC in higher doses can also damage other cellular structures and even kill the cell or organism if enough light is applied. Additionally, even very low doses of UVC can damage an organism or cell enough that it goes into apoptosis, a form of programmed cell death.
  • Pulsing light can enhance the proportion of UV in light relative to the rest of the spectrum. For example, as noted in this application pulsing of a Xenon lamp can more than double the amount of UV light below 300 nm compared with a continuous xenon or a weakly pulsed xenon lamp. Roughly speaking, the more voltage that is applied per pulse the more UV there is in proportion to the rest of the spectrum. Thus, very high voltage pulsing of xenon is a preferred way to increase UV output of a lamp. [0070] Additionally, pulsing light can prove more efficacious since it hinders a cell or
  • Pulsed light also creates a much higher point input of energy, which is far more difficult for a cell or organism to disperse that a lower, steady input of light.
  • peak energies that are a million times or more stronger in their peak than the same amount of light applied on a continuous basis. This intense energy can totally destroy critical structures in an organism or cell, which will prevent it from maintaining viability.
  • the use of wide band pulsed light has the advantage of overwhelming the cell with multiple light waves that can cause damage to various structures for the organism or cell.
  • the UVC range can damage the genetic material of the cell while the UVB or UVA band damages the membrane of the cell or organism.
  • Other bands may be absorbed by other structures such as mitochondria.
  • UVC may do the primary damage to a cell, the other wavelengths act synergistically to inactivate the cell by killing it or by damaging its ability to reproduce.
  • UVC is about the shortest wavelength of light.
  • Use of wideband pulsed has longer wavelength and will thus enhance the penetration of the light through tissue. Additionally, research indicates that the penetration of UV is also enhanced by the inclusion of other wavebands. Thus, the inclusion of wideband light not only acts synergistically to inactivate organisms and cells, it also acts synergistically to help UV penetrate better.
  • Wide spectrum light has germicidal properties and offers some advantages to the use of narrowband UV light. These advantages include the following: a. Although the UV component of polychromatic light still does not penetrate well, other wavelengths can penetrate better and thus contribute relatively more than usual to inactivating organisms. Thus, polychromatic radiation has the potential to inactivate organisms using less UVC than the use of UVC light alone b. Multiple wavelengths of light can acts on various processes of the cells and cause inactivation of organisms at lower energies than ultraviolet light itself. In addition to greater inactivation of organisms using polychromatic light, the inactivation of a wider variety of organisms is possible since the multiple bands of lights affect each type of organism differently and will thus affect a wider variety of organisms. c. Different wavelengths are absorbed by different part of each organism thus use of multiple wavelengths increases the chance that structures that are essential to the organism will be inactivated thus rendering the organism harmless.
  • Wideband UVC light defined at light that covers the entire UVC spectrum of 240 nm to 280 nm as opposed to monochromatic UVC light that emits primarily at one wavelength (such as 254 nm for a low pressure mercury lamp), also has germicidal
  • Pulsed light variants of polychromatic and UVC light also have germicidal properties and offers advantages to the use of narrowband UV light. These advantages include the following: a. Laboratory data shows that high intensity pulses are significantly more effective at penetrating tissue than when the same amount of light energy is uniformly applied over a longer period of time. Other research indicates that pulsing of high energy light can increase the depth of penetration through tissues by several orders of magnitude. This finding, which is not common knowledge to those skilled in the art of treating skin and other body disorders, permits the novel use of pulsed light to inactivate organisms at a much lower dose of UVC than continuously emitting light. b. Since pulsed light can be more effectively used to penetrate tissue and inactivate organisms it can substantially reduce the time necessary for treatment.
  • pulsed light can be used to more effectively used to penetrate tissue it can be used to treat infections that are substantially deeper than surface infections.
  • Pulsed light emits significantly higher energy in a very short time period compared with continuous light. These short, high intensity pulses appear to overwhelm cells and damage vital components, which are unable to dissipate the excess instantaneous energy being applied. Additionally, short pulses of light with longer periods of low or no light permit time for energy to dissipate and thus limits the amount of heat that surrounding tissues may experience which also limits collateral damage e. The very high peak of the energy pulse is often several orders of magnitude greater than the average energy applied.
  • This high peak dose is more likely to exceed the threshold energy (also called the energy of activation) that would drive reactions that do not begin until this threshold is reached.
  • these peak doses can trigger reactions that will contribute to the inactivation of organisms by damaging vital components or forming compounds that are antibiotic in nature such as singlet oxygen or ozone.
  • Pulsed light can damage undesirable cells with a lower overall dose since it can deliver extremely high doses that overwhelm the cell in short pulses with substantial periods between each pulse. Thus an organism might experience a peak of several orders of magnitude greater than if the light were uniformly spread over time.
  • Coherent light variants of polychromatic and UVC light such as lasers also have germicidal properties and offers advantages to the use of narrowband UV light. These advantages include the following: a. Lasers can be pulsed to offer the same advantages that other pulsed light sources possess, namely they can penetrate better than continuous light. b. All lasers make use of coherent light of a very narrow band, which can thus be tuned to do the most damage to infectious organisms while not affecting other organisms as greatly. For example, if a particular organism is best deactivated at a wavelength of 245 nm, a tunable laser could be used to deliver light precisely at that wavelength. Surrounding tissue and organisms would not be as greatly affected since most organisms are affected most strongly between 258 nm and 262 nm.
  • High peak doses can be delivered using high energy pulses that have short durations. The overall energy applied can still be lower on average than applied by a continuous lamp, however, the peak doses could be 10 to 1,000,000 times or more than the average dose.
  • the high peak doses can act as a 'punch' to cause damage that might not be accomplished at lower energies. An analogy would be applying pressure to drive a nail through a piece of wood. If a person pushed on a nail with his hand for days he may not be able to drive a nail through wood. However, a strong momentary blow to the nail delivered via a hammer can drive the nail quickly.
  • Figure 4 illustrates a device to prevent and treat skin and nail infections.
  • the device may have any combination of the following components:
  • Light Source (10) that can be tuned to a specified spectral output or a fixed spectral output.
  • a processing unit (16) that can perform calculations, store data, track usage, troubleshoot problems, etc.
  • Figure 5 illustrates some of the special attachments that could be used for treatment and includes the following: a. An attachment (40) that can provide light to hard to reach areas such as those between the toes. b. An attachment that transmits light via a flexible cable (50) and delivers
  • germicidal light can also be used to kill organisms and successfully treat skin and other tissue infections in parent application 11/154,707, filed on June 18, 2005.
  • the '707 application also details a wide variety of germicidal light that can be used to kill and inactivate organisms which can also be used to inactivate and kill undesirable cells also.
  • the '707 application further details methods to enhance the penetration and efficacv of germicidal lieht.
  • polychromatic light has been used to purify food and water, it requires a significant amount of light in the UVB range, which would make it much less desirable to use on living humans or animals since even low doses of UVB will cause sunburns.
  • Light can also be channeled by a variety of devices to very specific application points.
  • Light channels such as fiber optics that are capable of transmitting light in the UV range can be used to deliver UV light or polychromatic light that is rich in UV to specific sites such as the insides of body cavities such as the mouth, the esophagus, the lungs, stomach, anus, ears, etc.
  • These light channels can also be used to deliver light to internal parts of the body such in a similar manner that a catheter can be used to pierce an organ or tumor.
  • the light channels themselves could be used as observation ports in addition to being used to deliver light to the selected target area.
  • Germicidal light can also be used similarly for the treatment of animals with various disorders. This could be done for both domesticated animals and others. In
  • Germicidal light can also be used for organs that will be transplanted. Use of this light for organs will reduce the chance for infection and also the chance for rejection by the body. The inactivation of surface cells and organisms makes the possible rejection by the recipient body much less probable.
  • the germicidal light can be applied before removal of the organ from an organ donor. In some embodiments, the germicidal light can be applied after removal of the organ from an organ donor, but before inserting into an organ recipient. In some embodiments, the germicidal light can be applied after insertion into an organ recipient.
  • Germicidal light can be used to kill and inactivate organisms that cause disease, infections, and disorders in a similar manner. Examples of these categories includes warts, boils, strep infections, athlete's feet, eczema, cold sores, etc. These examples are not intended to be comprehensive but are only illustrative of how one skilled in the art such as a dermatologist could successfully apply this invention. [0088] Germicidal light can be used to inactivate and kill undesirable cells by applying such light to the area or volume to be treated. Areas that are outside the targeted treatment area should be shielded from the light being used in treatment to prevent damage to healthy, desirable cells.
  • Germicidal light can best be used when the characteristics of the area to be treated are known with relation to the kind of light being treated. For example, if it is known that germicidal light at 254 nm can penetrate fair skin with an infection up to 1 mm when applied at a strength of 25 mw/cm2 for 10 minutes then this light can be used to treat superficial skin infections. However, if a cancerous tumor with a depth of 5 mm is to be treated it may be necessary to use a germicidal light source that can penetrate more deeply.
  • a wide spectrum pulsed light would be preferable due to its ability to penetrate more deeply. If the melanoma tumor would initiate a apoptosis at a UVC dose of 2 mJ/cm 2 of wide spectrum germicidal light it would still be preferable to use the wide spectrum light due to its ability to penetrate better and because such light is generally well tolerated. If 0.1% the wide spectrum light could penetrate to the bottom of the tumor the necessary dose would be 2,000 mj/cm 2 (2 J/cm 2 ).
  • UVC ultraviolet C
  • a p'ractitioner could use a xenon flash bulb capable of discharging 0.1 mj/cm 2 of UVC per flash. This would thus require 20,000 flashes to treat the area. If lamp emitted 50 flashes per second the total treatment time would be 400 seconds or 6 minutes and 40 seconds total. Adding a factor of safety of 50% would bring total treatment time to 600 seconds or 10 minutes total.
  • Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease of the skin which affects 2% to 3% of the population worldwide. According to the National Institute of Health, between 5.8 and 7.5 million Americans are affected by psoriasis. Americans spend between $2 to $3 billion each year to treat psoriasis according to the National Psoriasis Foundation. [0094] There are five types of psoriasis - plaque, guttate, inverse, pustular, and erythrodermic. Plaque is the most common form of the disease and appears as raised, red patches or lesions covered with a silvery white buildup of dead skin cells, called scale. About 80% of those affected have plaque psoriasis. Guttate appears as small red spots on the skin. Inverse occurs in armpits, groin and skin folds. Pustular manifests as white
  • psoriasis is an immune-mediated condition. This means the condition is caused by faulty signals in the body's immune system. It is believed that psoriasis develops when the immune system tells the body to over-react and accelerate the growth of skin cells. Normally, skin cells mature and are shed from the skin's surface every 28 to 30 days. When psoriasis develops, the skin cells mature in 3 to 6 days and move to the skin surface. Instead of being shed, the skin cells pile up, causing the visible lesions.
  • Psoriasis cases are classified as mild (less than 2% of the body's surface area affected and usually localized on the knees, elbows, scalp, hands and feet), moderate (between 2% and 10% coverage usually appearing on the arms, legs, torso and head), and severe (greater than 10% coverage and potentially involving all areas of the skin). Even a small amount of body cover such as 2% can be significant if that area is especially sensitive such as the hands or feet.
  • An estimated 80-85% of psoriasis cases are mild to moderate. Psoriasis is rarely life-threatening, however, a person's quality of life can be seriously degraded. Additionally, there is a high economic cost to both individuals and the country since it causes an estimated 56 million loss work hours each year.
  • PASI scale Psoriasis Area and Severity Index
  • PASI is a composite measure of erythema (redness), induration (plaque thickness), and desqamation (scaliness).
  • the scale ranges from 0 (clear) to 72 and is calculated for an affected area and then multiplied by the amount of coverage on a individual.
  • Clinicians and practice dermatologists often devise their own "modified PASI," a scoring system that best meets their descriptive needs, and clinical papers always describe how a particular trial's PASI is calculated.
  • PASI 75 percent decrease in PASI score
  • Psoriasis can be treated with topical medications, oral medications, and/or with phototherapy. There are hundreds of over-the-counter topical medications that are used, however, these cannot be used continuously and provide at most temporary relief. Treatment with steroids is more powerful and effective. However, use of steroids is expensive and their use must be carefully monitored and applied.
  • steroid therapy is abruptly stopped, it can cause severe problems which can be life threatening.
  • Long-term steroid use can lead to tachyphylaxis - loss of effectiveness.
  • systemic side effects can include high blood pressure, cataracts, glaucoma, hypothamic-pituitary-adrenal axis suppression, manifestations of Cushing's Syndrome, diabetes, and growth of body hair on women. While not conclusively proven, there is concern that long-term corticosteroid use may hasten the onset and severity of osteoporosis.
  • Non-steroidal topicals such as vitamin D analogs were introduced to the U.S. market in the early 1990s. Vitamin D analogs inhibit proliferation of skin cells and act to reduce inflammation. Clinical data for the treatment of mild to moderate chronic plaque psoriasis showed a mean difference in the percentage change in PASI score of 44%, similar to Class 2 steroids, but it may take two months to achieve this benefit, not the several weeks for steroids. Non-steroidal topicals do not have the serious side effects associated with steroids.
  • Systemic agents include antimetabolite drugs (methotrexate) and immunosuppressives (cyclosporine).
  • Systemic drugs are used for the more severe forms of psoriasis and show good results — 70% to 80% of patients show 75% improvement and clearing is frequent; however, their toxicity limits their usage.
  • Cyclosporine is a powerful immunosuppressant whose major application is in organ transplantation to
  • cyclosporine has a broad range of systemic side effects that may involve the gastrointestinal system, the kidneys, lungs, musculoskeletal system, reproductive system and increases risk of lymphoma and other cancers.
  • UVA and UVB phototherapy is also widely used to treat psoriasis.
  • Plaque psoriasis responds positively to UV light and exposure to sunlight has long been known to be therapeutic.
  • So-called "broad band" UV therapy was developed at the Mayo Clinic in the 1920s, the start of light booth therapy where UV- emitting bulbs are arrayed in a booth in which the patient stands. Phototherapy has since been refined into two categories.
  • UVA The longer waves of UVA penetrate the skin more deeply than UVB and require a photosensitizing agent to be effective in treating psoriasis, psoralen, a drug usually taken orally, but can be applied topically or by immersion.
  • Psoralen + UVA PUVA.
  • the combined photosensitizer and UVA energy inhibit DNA synthesis in skin cells and suppress the skin cell proliferation of psoriasis. Treatments are repeated two or three times a week and it takes about 30 to 40 treatments for full effect. Once the psoriasis has improved about 95%, the patient starts weekly treatments which gradually
  • PUVA can modify DNA and cause genetic mutations.
  • PUVA is known to increase the risk for squamous cell skin cancer and slightly increase the risk for basal cell skin cancer, both of which, however, are nearly always curable.
  • Those favoring continued use of PUVA argue that it is a most effective treatment for severe psoriasis, the alternatives are usually very powerful drugs which have even more serious side effects.
  • Much research has concentrated on the so-called antipsoriatic range which lies between 300 to 313-nm.
  • UVB treatments for psoriasis concentrate their output in the 300-313-nm range (also called narrow band UVB).
  • Philips developed the "narrow band" TL-I UVB bulb with a frequency output curve that peaks at 312-nm and delivers 73% of its energy into the antipsoriatic range with fairly tight distribution "tails.”
  • Erythema is caused by low-end UVB frequencies peaking at 295-nm and erythema is associated with mutagenic cellular response. Since NB-UVB packs most of its energy into the antipsoriatic range, fewer treatments are required than broadband UVB and PUVA to achieve remission.
  • psoriasis is a condition where the body produces an overabundance of skin cells that quickly migrate to the skin's surface. It is believed that this disorder is an autoimmune reaction and that it is mediated by T cells. Additionally, the basal cells in the epidermis produce an overabundance of keratinocytes (immature skin cells) which in turn produce a large amount of keratin, which is a tough fibrous protein that help form hair, skin, and nails, hi normal cell growth, keratinocytes mature and migrate from the bottom (basal) layer to the surface and are shed unobtrusively over a period of about a month.
  • keratinocytes is a tough fibrous protein that help form hair, skin, and nails
  • psoriasis the keratinocytes proliferate very rapidly and travel from the basal layer to the surface in only about four days. Because the skin cannot shed these cells quickly enough they accumulate in thick, dry patches, or plaques. Another important change occurs in the layer of skin underneath the epidermis which is called the dermis and which contains nerves and blood and lymphatic vessels. In psoriasis these blood vessels provide an increased blood supply to the abnormally multiplying keratinocytes, causing the underlying inflammation and redness characteristic of psoriasis.
  • psoriasis is mainly a disorder of the epidermis, which is approximately 10% of the thickness of skin overall. The remaining 90% of the skin is the dermis.
  • the epidermis is generally about 0.12 mm thick in most areas although this value varies among individuals and different parts of the body (the hands and feet being the thickest at 1.5 mm and only 0.05 mm at the eyelids). Therefore, since the epidermis is not very thick, it is possible to effectively treat psoriasis using light that does not penetrate easily.
  • UVA and UVB have been used to treat psoriasis with some success.
  • UVC has not been used to treat psoriasis for a number of reasons as discussed below.
  • UVC penetrates much less deeply than UVA or UVB. While UVA can penetrate through the epidermis and deeply into the dermis and UVB can penetrate the epidermis and part of the dermis, most literature teaches away from UVC, indicating that UVC can only penetrate the part of the epidermis and does not reach the dermis at all (source: WHO InterSun project). However, our research with nails confirms that the penetration of UVC appears to be understated and that although most UVC cannot penetrate the full depth of the epidermis and into the epidermis, small amounts can penetrate and those amounts are sufficient to treat psoriasis and other disorders and infections.
  • UVC cannot penetrate very deeply
  • ways to enhance penetration such as by pulsing the light or adding a topical treatment to enhance penetration.
  • multispectrum light can also be used to enhance penetration and to add synergistic light bands.
  • UVC is very well tolerated in dose far in excess of the minimum erythemal dose (MED). Even doses in the range of 100 MEDs will only turn the skin red - it will not be accompanied by the pain of a sunburn that even 5 MED doses of UVB can cause. The reason that UVC is so well tolerated may be because it does not penetrate well and thus mostly affect the dead cells at the top of the skin. However, that is actually an advantage when trying to treat psoriasis since this is one of the primary problem areas. [00111] Fourth, most practitioners of phototherapy do not realize just how small a dose of UVC can be is effective. Doses in the low mj/cm 2 range can inactivate organisms and cells. Thus, it is not necessary to apply high, lethal doses of UVC to cells or organisms to successfully treat them.
  • MED minimum erythemal dose
  • UVC may be carcinogenic. Although there is evidence of this, it should be noted that it is generally chronic exposure that is the most dangerous. However, this chronic exposure is not contemplated for treatment. Additionally it should be noted that UVA and UVB are both considered as carcinogenic as UVC, and they are regularly used in phototherapy since it is perceived
  • UVC ultraviolet C
  • the UVC range extends from 240 to 280 nm. It is probable that another wavelength within the UVC range would have elicited a much better response.
  • reasons include the following: a. UVC light generally only affects the epidermis and should cause little damage to the dermis. Even if the penetration of UVC is enhanced (for example by using UVC-rich pulsed polychromatic light) it will still not penetrate as deeply as many other wavelengths thereby limiting damage to deeper tissues.
  • Psoriasis is primarily a disorder of the epidermis. Thus UVC can effectively penetrate the area necessary to treat psoriasis, and since it does
  • UVC light is far more potent than other wavelengths of light with respect to its ability to inactivate and kill cells and organisms. Thus the dosage of UVC can be much less than would otherwise be required.
  • the application of UVC can be enhanced by pulsing of the light to permit it to penetrate more deeply and to permit smaller doses to be applied. If wideband polychromatic light is used to generate the UVC, undesirable wavelengths such as UVB can be filtered out or minimized to optimize treatment.
  • UVB light if the only area being exposed has thick plaque it may be acceptable to not filter out the UVB light.
  • Application of germicidal light that includes UVC and that penetrates more deeply can also inactivate the basal cells that create an overabundance of keratinocytes thus relieving a major problem. It may also affect the T Cells that may be mediating the problem.
  • psoriasis vulgaris is mediated by activated T - lymphocytes infiltrating the epidermis and the dermo-epidermal interface. UVC can be used to treat psoriasis by infiltrating T-cells and inactivating them, where the mechanism of cell death is most probably apoptosis or damage to genetic material, which prevents the cells from reproducing.
  • UVC can penetrate to a depth of 550 um, however, it should be noted that only a very small amount of unconditioned UVC will penetrate to that depth.
  • broadband pulsed light can be used to successfully penetrate this depth with a much higher dose of UVC than could be delivered by a narrowband, continuous emitting low pressure mercury lamp. Therefore, this type of light would be the preferred mode of treatment.
  • UVC-rich polychromatic light dose in the range of 10-40 mj/cm 2 total UVC dose. Since it is probable that only about 0.5% of the light will penetrate to the necessary depth it would be necessary to apply 200 times the dose that will inactivate
  • UVC ultraviolet absorbent
  • the narrowband UVC light can be used and there will be no need to filter out the UVB.
  • the narrowband UVC light will be highly pulsed such as that generated by a laser.
  • UVC can be used with PUVA to treat psoriasis. This would permit the synergistic use of these treatments which would lower the dose of each treatment
  • UVC can be used with UVB and/or UVA to treat psoriasis. Again this would permit the combination of therapies so that doses of each individual therapy could be reduced and synergistic results obtained.
  • UVA, PUVA, topical treatments, and oral medications are other methods to treat psoriasis. 5.3 Other types of treatment
  • germicidal light can be provided to a specific location using a light guide which can also act as a scope to view the area.
  • the light guide could be inserted remotely in a mass of tissue such as a tumor and then used to irradiate the mass with germicidal light. This will permit the inactivation and destruction of cells that are creating undesirable conditions.
  • Germicidal light could be introduced to the nasal cavity of a person and used to inactivate mast cells or other cells that trigger an allergic reaction. This form of treatment could be used to prevent severe allergies in a person who has an overactive immune system
  • Germicidal light could also be introduced using a light guide to the throat to treat yeast infections, which often occur when food and breathing tubes are inserted.
  • Specially designed breathing and food tubes could transmit the light (and are claimed as part of this invention) or the light could be introduced using a separate instrument.
  • Germicidal light could be used to treat warts. Although they are more difficult to treat due to their thickness, germicidal light can be applied in high doses and/or light that is more penetrating could be used.
  • Ringworm and other skin infections could be treated using germicidal light with the dosage being adjusted to penetrate the infection sufficiently. Techniques to lessen the thickness of the area to be treated can be used to enhance treatment such as scrubbing of the surface, abrading the area, etc. Additionally, topically applied treatments such as antibiotics could be used in conjunction with light treatment to enhance the treatment's efficacy. [00127] Organisms that have become resistant to almost all antibiotics are an ideal candidate to be treated using this invention. Light dosage must be adjusted to ensure correct penetration and other techniques mentioned in this application to enhance efficacy can also be used.
  • Germicidal light can be used to treat ulcers, warts, acne, cold sores, and other infections, diseases, and disorders that are caused by undesirable organisms or cells. It can also be used to ameliorate symptoms that include the presence of undesirable cells or organisms.
  • a wide variety of dosages may be applied to prevent or treat skin and nail infections and disorders and to inactivate organisms and tissue that are undesirable.
  • For the treatment of nail infections using the application of monochromatic UVC light has been shown to be efficacious in doses as small as 37 mj/cm 2 per treatment, see for example Cumbie Patent 6960201, and as high as 22 J/cm 2 (as noted in this application). Additionally, these doses are well tolerated by the subject nails receiving the treatment. Allowing for smaller doses to be used for prevention of nail infections and for somewhat higher doses for severely infected nails, the applied dosage of UVC may be between approximately 10 mj/cm 2 and 50 J/cm 2 per treatment.
  • the number of treatments may vary from 1 to 10 or more depending on the level of infection.
  • modified UVC light modified germicidal light using wide spectrum light, pulsing, etc.
  • the dose could be from 1% to 100% of the UVC that would be required using monochromatic UVC listed above.
  • applied dosages of UVC using modified germicidal light would be between 0.1 mj/cm 2 and 10 J/cm 2 of UVC light (not including other bands of light applied).
  • the amount of UVC provided by a xenon pulsed lamp has been shown to be efficacious when applied in the range of approximately 1900 mj/cm 2 per treatment for mild to moderate nail infections.
  • a range of approximately 500 mj/cm 2 to 8,000 mj/cm 2 of UVC delivered via a pulsed xenon light could be especially efficacious to treat many types of nail infections.
  • the number of treatments may vary from 1 to 10 or more depending on the level of infection.
  • a further preferred embodiment of the invention would be to use germicidal light that has been enhanced to better penetrate and inactivate and kill undesirable cells.
  • This light can be enhanced by high strength, short pulses of light that are generated by a wide spectrum light device like a xenon flash lamp.
  • the light would be polychromatic light that is rich in UV (especially UVC) and would be high strength (up to several Joules) and highly pulsed (multiple pulses per second such as the 120 pulses per second of some xenon flash lamps).
  • a reduced number of pulses would be used but each pulse would have a substantially higher peak dosage. This would increase the magnitude of energy available to exceed the energy of activation for processes that would damage or destroy the cell or organism while not increasing the average total dose delivered.
  • the light would be monochromatic as generated by a laser.
  • the laser would be tuned to provide the most germicidal light while minimizing discomfort and would also deliver short, high pulses of light.
  • Another preferred embodiment of the invention would be to use monochromatic germicidal light such as a low pressure mercury or an amalgam lamp that can provide substantial light to the area to be treated. Although this light would not penetrate as deeply as conditioned germicidal light it can be used for disorders that are not as deep as other disorders such as psoriasis, ringworm, or types of skin cancer that do not penetrate as deeply.
  • monochromatic germicidal light such as a low pressure mercury or an amalgam lamp that can provide substantial light to the area to be treated. Although this light would not penetrate as deeply as conditioned germicidal light it can be used for disorders that are not as deep as other disorders such as psoriasis, ringworm, or types of skin cancer that do not penetrate as deeply.
  • Another preferred embodiment of the invention would use filters or other means to remove unwanted bandwidths of light. This would be especially of use for treatments of disorders such as psoriasis where the use of UVB for treatment can cause painful burns.
  • Another preferred embodiment of the invention would be to use it for the treatment of animals.
  • Another preferred embodiment of the invention would be to use it for the treatment of organs to be used for transplant. Flash irradiation of the organ could decrease the potential for organ rejection as well as lowering the chance of infection.
  • a number of lights can be used to generate germicidal light. The list
  • Means to generate germicidal light include the following: a. Polychromatic light sources, that generate either pulsed and continuous or both. b. Light Emitting Diodes which are available in a number of spectrums including ones recently developed that emit in the UVC range. c. Pulsing and Continuous Excimer Lamps including xenon-iodine (XeI or also designated as XeJ) excimer lamps emits most of its light at 253 nm,
  • Germicidal light can be used to inactivate and kill undesirable cells permitting it to be used to treat a wide range of disorders including cancer, tumors, autoimmune disorders such as psoriasis, etc.
  • This type of light has not been considered in the past for this type of treatment because the primary form of germicidal light which is UVC cannot easily penetrate objects and can be carcinogenic.
  • UVC and other forms of germicidal light to penetrate can be enhance to improve its efficacy.
  • the possibility of germicidal light causing cancer can be minimized by preventing chronic exposure.

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Abstract

L'invention porte sur un procédé, un moyen et un appareil de prévention et traitement de troubles à l'aide d'un rayonnement germicide inactivant et/ou tuant les organismes ou cellules causes d'infections ou d'autres troubles. Ladite méthode consiste: à irradier la zone à traiter par un rayonnement électromagnétique germicide après avoir prouvé que sa capacité de pénétration dans la peau, les ongles et les membranes est suffisante pour traiter et prévenir les troubles. Le rayonnement électromagnétique endommage les organismes ou cellules causes de troubles tels que des infections de la peau et des ongles, et les rend pratiquement incapables de se reproduire et de continuer à infester la peau et les ongles. Les dommages infligés peuvent également être suffisants pour tuer définitivement les organismes. On peut ainsi prévenir une infection (si les organismes sont présents mais que l'infection n'a pas encore commencée), et la traiter, si elle existe déjà.
PCT/US2007/009202 2006-04-17 2007-04-16 Méthode et dispositif inactivant et tuant des cellules et organismes indésirables Ceased WO2007123859A2 (fr)

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US10410853B2 (en) 2011-06-08 2019-09-10 Xenex Disinfection Services, Llc. Ultraviolet lamp apparatuses with one or more moving components
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WO2010029292A1 (fr) * 2008-09-09 2010-03-18 Anant Sharma Appareil d’irradiation et traitement
JP2013521948A (ja) * 2010-03-17 2013-06-13 エルコーニア コーポレーション 低レベルレーザーを用いた真菌感染症治療
EP2547399A4 (fr) * 2010-03-17 2013-09-25 Erchonia Corp Thérapie destinée à traiter une infection fongique à l'aide d'un laser de faible intensité
US10335506B2 (en) 2011-06-08 2019-07-02 Xenex Disinfection Services, Llc. Mobile ultraviolet lamp apparatuses having a reflector system that redirects light to a high touch area of a room
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CN109788946B (zh) * 2016-06-24 2023-02-03 鲁美斯Be有限公司 利用激光等效强脉冲光装置的选择性皮肤处理
EP4126209A4 (fr) * 2020-03-26 2024-06-19 Ramirez-Fort, Marigdalia, Kaleth Traitements par rayonnement ultraviolet

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