Prevention and treatment of skin and nail infections using germicidal light
First Claim
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1. A method of treating a microbial infection in a patient, comprising:
- evaluating the infection;
calculating an amount of energy required to inactivate microbes in the infection;
calculating an amount of the light of about 100 nm to 400 nm that is required to achieve the amount of energy, wherein calculating includes taking into account at least depth of area with the infection through which the light must be transmitted; and
administering the amount of light to the infection, wherein the intensity of the light at least substantially inactivates microbes in the infection and wherein no light absorbing substance is added to the microbes.
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Abstract
A method of prevention and treatment of microbial infections that occur on, or just below, the skin and nails of a person consisting of electromagnetic radiation to inactivate the microbes thus rendering them harmless. The treatment consists of irradiating an area of the skin and nails for a period of time long enough to inactivate the organisms. Some additional features which are not integral to the treatment but increase the safety of the treatment include shielding of non-infected areas from irradiation and a cover to prevent damage to sight which may result from viewing the electromagnetic radiation.
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Citations
54 Claims
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1. A method of treating a microbial infection in a patient, comprising:
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evaluating the infection; calculating an amount of energy required to inactivate microbes in the infection; calculating an amount of the light of about 100 nm to 400 nm that is required to achieve the amount of energy, wherein calculating includes taking into account at least depth of area with the infection through which the light must be transmitted; and administering the amount of light to the infection, wherein the intensity of the light at least substantially inactivates microbes in the infection and wherein no light absorbing substance is added to the microbes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of treating a microbial infection in a patient, comprising:
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evaluating the infection; calculating an amount of the light of about 100 nm to 400 nm that is required to achieve at least 1.25 J/cm2 amount of energy, wherein calculating includes taking into account at least depth of area with the infection through which the light must be transmitted; and administering the amount of light to the infection, wherein the intensity of the light at least substantially inactivates microbes in the infection and wherein no light absorbing substance is added to the microbes. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A method of treating a microbial infection in a nail of a patient comprising:
administering electromagnetic radiation of about 100 to 280 nm to an infected nail of the patient for a time and at a proximity and intensity sufficient to render microbes in the infection substantially incapable of reproducing by disruption of cellular processes of the microbes while insufficient to kill all of the microbes. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
Specification