A sterilisation system having a controllable (e.g. adjustably modulatable) non-ionismg microwave radiation sourcefor providing microwave energy for combining with a gas (e.g. an inert gas ora mixture of inert gases) to produce atmosphericlow temperature plasma for sterilising biological tissue surfaces or the like.A plasma generating region may be contained in a handheld plasma applicator. The system may include an impedance ad]ustor e.g.integrated in the plasma applicator arranged to set aplasma strike condition and plasma sustain condition. The gas and microwaveenergy may be transported to a plasma generatingregion along an integrated cable assembly. The integrated cable assembly mayprovide a two way gas flow arrangement to permitresidual gas to be removed from the surface. Invasive surface plasma treatmentis therefore possible. The plasma applicator mayhave multiple plasma emitters to produce a line or blanket of plasma.
