3D Printed Device Set to Alleviate Bacteria That Causes Middle Ear Infection

Otitis media affect over 80 percent of the population in the United States. Fortunately, the infection also called middle ear infection, has now been acknowledged by today's technological world. The medical experts that specialize in the infection are able to develop a mini-version of a 3D printed device to disable the root of the bacterial operation, Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Microplasma Jet Array New Treatment Against Middle Ear Infection

The microplasma jet array is the device used to treat and stop the bacteria from even starting the middle ear infection. The device creates a plasma that comprises several charged particles and molecules. The included charges that the device emits are previously tested to have a great impact against pathogens.

Jungeun Won, an expert at the Boppart laboratories, said that the innovation of the device is the first comprehensive plasma technology to be used in treating middle ear infections. The microplasma jet array is a massive improvement to the medical attention provided for the ear bacteria infection compared to the traditional treatments such as surgical operations and antibiotic intake, reports EurekAlert.

In contrast to the microplasma jet array, the traditional treatments using antibiotics have underlying disadvantages. This is because over 30 percent of the patients recorded with acute infection have no response to the antibiotics. In addition, frequent intake of the antibiotics leads to patients having high resistance against the treatment, ultimately leading to complete immunity and build-up of solid materials on the ear's surface, also known as biofilms.

The biofilms are observed to be very dense for the antibiotics to do their work. Even the penetration does not work with the aggregates on the surface of the ears, Ivan Racheff's Civil and Environmental Engineering professor Helen Nguyen said. Disrupting the biofilm build-up could let the antibiotics easily penetrate the ears and get rid of the bacteria, she added.

3D Plasma Technology Inactivates Middle Ear Bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa

The research published in the journal NPJ Biofilms and Microbiomes entitled "Inactivation and sensitization of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by microplasma jet array for treating otitis media" shows how the microplasma jet array was constructed and tested. The experts have been able to observe the utility of the plasma device through the help of the rat eardrum. They also built a model of the infection and tested the antimicrobial impacts of the microplasma against the bacteria hidden on the far back of the eardrum.

Won said that the effectiveness of the treatment depends on the duration of the plasma activity. Different durations were tested for the treatment to go through, and they found out that 15 minutes or more of the treatment was evidently effective to the bacteria's inactivation. Won added that there were no recorded inflictions that lead to physical ruptures towards the ear's issues such as dents or holes.

The eardrum model, which was contributed by the rat, is 30 percent thinner compared with the eardrums of humans. But although the width of the rat's eardrum scales to a hair strand, the experts are definitely convinced that the microplasma jet array will be successful in treating human middle ear infections. Further studies will be conducted regarding the 3D printed device for it to be an approved functioning inactivator of bacteria that causes middle ear infections.

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