Cold plasma used in world’s first clinical surgical procedure performed to selectively kill cancer tumour cells

A surgical team coordinated by the US Medical Innovations LLC (USMI) family of companies completed the world’s first clinical procedure using cold plasma for the selective killing of cancerous tissue at Baton Rouge General Medical Centre.

The surgery was performed on a patient who had previously been diagnosed with inoperable Stage 4 colon cancer through a one-time pre-market Compassionate Use exemption from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The surgery was the first of its kind in the world utilising USMI’s Canady Helios™ Cold Plasma Scalpel – a new technology that specifically targets cancer cells while sparing normal cells and tissue. The Canady Helios™ Cold Plasma Scalpel is a cold atmospheric plasma device used to eradicate microscopic remnants of the cancer which is used in conjunction with the Canady Hybrid Plasma™ Scalpel, a device approved and in use since 2011.

Cold plasma surgery recipient initially diagnosed as surgically inoperable

Jerome Canady M.D., USMI CEO Chief Science Officer, designed the clinical and treatment protocols and guided the surgical team through the procedure. A multidisciplinary group of healthcare professionals, physicians, engineers and scientists collaborated over a 12-month period leading up to the procedure. Extensive treatment plans were implemented including preoperative chemo and radiation therapies to cytoreduce (shrink) the tumour. CT scans were utilised to develop the 3D computer guided imagery to map out the surgical procedures for the patient who was initially diagnosed as surgically inoperable.

Stephen V. Gordon M.D. of Baton Rouge General Medical Centre completed the surgical procedure under the watch of Dr Canady while using this new potentially life-saving medical technology.

“For years we’ve worked tirelessly in a global race-against-time to leverage innovative plasma technologies in the pursuit of the cure for cancer. As other research teams based in Germany, Japan, Korea and elsewhere continue to pursue this research in the lab we are proud to be the first to utilise cold plasma technology in a surgical device within a clinical setting to prolong the life of this remarkable patient” commented Dr. Canady.

As the new device has not yet been cleared by the FDA for commercial use or marketing, the USMI family of companies will coordinate on the submission of an application for such authorisation during the coming months.