1. An apparatus comprising:
an element supportive of plasmon energy in an energy range, the first element including a plurality of openings;
each of the openings in the plurality of openings being configured to selectively pass a first portion of a material; and
each of the openings in the plurality of openings having a respective characteristic dimension selected to provide substantial overlap of the passed first portion of the material and the plasmon energy in the energy range proximate the opening; and
a source of electromagnetic energy configured to provide ultraviolet electromagnetic energy in the energy range to the element to produce the plasmon energy.
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49. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a converter arranged to convert the electromagnetic energy to plasmon energy.
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54. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein one or more characteristics of the plasmon energy in the energy range are controllably variable.
55. The apparatus of claim 54 wherein the one or more characteristics of the plasmon energy in the energy range are controllably variable in response to the material.
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65. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of the openings in the plurality of openings is operably connected to a control structure to selectively pass the first portion of the material.
66. The apparatus of claim 65 wherein the control structure includes a valve.
67. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of the openings in the plurality of openings is configured to selectively pass the first portion of the material in response to an interaction of an electric or magnetic field with the material.
68. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of the openings in the plurality of openings is configured to selectively pass the first portion of the material in response to an interaction of plasmon energy with the material.
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70. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of the openings in the plurality of openings is arranged to receive an electric or magnetic field to selectively pass the first portion of the material.
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76. A system, comprising:
a fluid filter supportive of evanescent energy and arranged to selectively pass a fluid; and
a source of ultraviolet electromagnetic energy operably coupled to an evanescent field generator to produce the evanescent energy in a first frequency range within or proximate the fluid.
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78. The system of claim 76 wherein the evanescent energy includes plasmon energy.
79. The system of claim 76 wherein the first frequency range is selected to interact with a material in the fluid.
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84. The system of claim 76 wherein the fluid filter includes an array of holes, each having a volume, wherein the volume of the holes are supportive of evanescent energy.
85. The system of claim 84 wherein the holes are configured to pass the fluid.
86. The system of claim 76 further comprising an interaction material proximate to the fluid filter and responsive to the evanescent energy.
87. The system of claim 86 wherein the interaction material includes a photocatalyst.
88. The system of claim 87 wherein the photocatalyst includes a band gap and wherein the band gap is substantially within the first frequency range.
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90. The system of claim 87 wherein the photocatalyst includes a semiconductor.
91. The system of claim 90 wherein the semiconductor includes titanium dioxide (TiO2).
92. The system of claim 87 wherein the photocatalyst is in intimate contact with the fluid filter.
93. The system of claim 86 wherein the interaction material is responsive to the evanescent energy to react chemically.
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95. The system of claim 76 wherein the evanescent field generator includes a grating.
96. The system of claim 76 wherein the evanescent field generator includes a prism.
97. The system of claim 76 wherein the evanescent field generator includes an optical fiber.
98. The system of claim 76 wherein the evanescent energy includes surface plasmons.
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161. An apparatus comprising:
an element supportive of plasmon energy in an energy range, the element including a plurality of openings;
each of the openings in the plurality of openings being configured to selectively pass a first portion of a material; and
each of the openings in the plurality of openings having a respective characteristic dimension selected to provide substantial overlap of the passed first portion of the material and the plasmon energy in the first energy range proximate the opening; and
wherein at least one of the openings in the plurality of openings is operably connected to a control structure, the control structure being attached to the element and being configured to selectively block or pass the first portion of the material.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for producing a microfoam suitable for use in sclerotherapy of blood vessels characterized in that it comprises passing a mixture of a physiologically acceptable blood dispersible gas and an aqueous sclerosant liquid through one or more passages having at least one cross-sectional dimension of from 0.1 to 30 \u03bcm, the ratio of gas to liquid being controlled such that a microfoam is produced having a density of between 0.07 gmL to 0.19 gmL and has a half-life of at least 2 minutes.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1 the gasliquid ratio in the mixture is controlled such that the density of the microfoam is 0.09 gmL to 0.16 gmL.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that at least 50% by number of the gas bubbles of 25 \u03bcm diameter and above are of no more than 200 \u03bcm diameter and at least 95% of these gas bubbles are no more than 280 \u03bcm diameter.
4. A method as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that at least 50% by number of the gas bubbles of 25 \u03bcm diameter and above are of no more than 150 \u03bcm diameter and at least 95% of these gas bubbles are no more than 250 \u03bcm diameter.
5. A method as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that the mixture of gas and sclerosant liquid is in the form of an aerosol, dispersion of bubbles in liquid or macrofoam.
6. A method as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that the ratio of gas to liquid used in the mixture is 1 gram sclerosant liquid to from 6.25 to 14.3 volumes of gas at standard temperature and pressure.
7. A method as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that the physiologically acceptable blood dispersible gas comprises a major proportion of carbon dioxide andor oxygen.
8. A method as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that the aqueous sclerosant liquid is a solution of polidocanol or sodium tetradecylsulfate (STS) in an aqueous carrier.
9. A method as claimed in claim 8 characterized in that the carrier comprises a saline solution.
10. A method as claimed claim 1 characterized in that the cross-sectional dimension is diameter and the one or more passages through which the gas and liquid mixture are passed to produce the microfoam have diameter of from 5 \u03bcm to 25 \u03bcm.
11. A method as claimed in claim 10 characterized in that the passages are of from 10 \u03bcm to 20 \u03bcm diameter and are openings in a mesh or screen placed perpendicular to the direction of flow of the gasliquid mixture.
12. A method as claimed in claim 10 characterized in that the passages are provided as multiple openings in one or more elements through which the mixture flows.
13. A method as claimed in claim 12 characterized in that the multiple openings provide a 2% to 65% open area in the one or more elements.
14. A method as claimed in claim 12 characterized in that the element comprises porous material and a number said elements are arranged sequentially such that the gas and liquid pass through the passages of each element.
15. A method as claim in claim 14 characterized in that the elements are spaced and are placed along the direction of flow of the mixture in series.
16. A method as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that the mixture of gas and liquid is passed through the same passage or passages a number of times.
17. A method as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that the gas is pressurized at 0.1 to 9 bar over atmospheric pressure.
18. A method as claimed in claim 17 characterized in that the gas is pressurized at 0.1 to 3 bar over atmospheric pressure.
19. A device for producing a microfoam suitable for use in sclerotherapy of blood vessels comprising a housing in which is sutuated a pressurisable chamber with one or more outlet orifices, a pathway by which contents of the chamber may be passed to an exterior of the housing through the one or more outlet orifices, and a mechanism by which the chamber can be pressurized such that its contents therein pass to the exterior along the pathway and through the one or more outlet orifices, said pathway to the exterior of the housing or the chamber including one or more elements defining one or more passages of cross sectional dimension 0.1 \u03bcm to 30 \u03bcm through which contents of the chamber are passed upon actuation of the mechanism, wherein the chamber contains an aqueous sclerosant liquid andor a physiologically acceptable blood dispersible gas.
20. A device as claimed in claim 19 characterized in that the microfoam is of density 0.09 to 0.16 gmL.
21. A device for producing a microfoam suitable for use in sclerotherapy of blood vessels comprising a housing in which is situated a pressurisable chamber with one or more outlet orifices, a pathway by which contents of the chamber may be passed to an exterior of the housing through the one or more outlet orifices, and a mechanism by which the chamber can be pressurized such that its contents therein pass to the exterior along the pathway and through the one or more outlet orifices, said pathway to the exterior of the housing or the chamber including one or more elements defining one or more passages of cross sectional dimension 0.1 \u03bcm to 30 \u03bcm through which contents of the chamber are passed upon actuation of the mechanism, wherein the elements defining the passages in the pathway or chamber are mounted on a moveable support, said support being moveable by manipulation from outside of the chamber.
22. A device as claimed in claim 21 wherein the one or more elements defining one or more passages are provided in the form of porous membranes, meshes, screens or sinters.
23. A device as claimed in claim 21 characterized in that it comprises a series of the elements defining said passages arranged in parallel with their major surfaces perpendicular to the pathway.
24. A device for delivering microfoam to a syringe from a microfoam generating device as claimed in claim 19 characterized in that it comprises an inlet conduit for engaging the outlet of the microfoam producing device in a microfoam tight fashion, the conduit being connected to and leading through a multipath valve for directing microfoam passing down the conduit, the valve being capable of being set to direct microfoam down either of first and second outlet conduits or for closing the inlet conduit, the syringe luer outlet being received by one of the first and second outlet conduits.
25. A device as claimed in claim 24 further comprising one or more elements for engaging the microfoam producing device other than by its outlet nozzle to hold it securely.
26. A device as claimed in claim 25 further comprising a base element, sufficiently stable to mount a microfoam producing device adjacent a multipath-valve said inlet being attachable to the microfoam producing device outlet conduit.
27. A device as claimed in claim 26 further comprising an activating element which operates to cause the pathway within the microfoam producing device to be opened to the inlet conduit.