Bonding of soft biological tissues by passing high freouency electric current therethrough
First Claim
1. Apparatus for bonding soft biological tissue having an incision therein, comprising:
- forceps adapted to grip a portion of the tissue on both sides of the incision;
electrodes adapted to contact said tissue portion;
an electrical power source for providing a high frequency electrical signal to said electrodes to be passed through said tissue portion; and
control means coupled to said electrical power source to provide said electrodes with one voltage signal during a first of two stages, and another voltage signal during a second of said two stages.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A technique for bonding soft biological tissue having an incision therein with forceps adapted to grip a portion of the tissue on both sides of the incision. Electrodes are secured to the forceps for contacting the tissue portion. An electrical power source provides a high frequency electrical signal to the electrodes to be passed through the tissue portion. The electrical power source is controlled to provide the electrodes with one voltage signal during a first of two stages, and another voltage signal during a second of the two stages. During the first stage the voltage rises linearly. During the second stage, the voltage is stabilized and is modulated with a low frequency rectangular signal. A clamping means applies force with the forceps to compress the tissue at one level or at different levels during two time periods while the high frequency voltage is passed through the electrodes. The tissue impedance is measured as a function of time, with its minimal value being determined and stored. At an instant when the impedance reaches its minimal value, the linear rise of the high frequency voltage is stopped, and the voltage is stabilized at the attained level. After that the ratio of the tissue impedance to its minimal value is determined as a function of time. The passing of the high frequency voltage to the electrodes is stopped as soon as such ratio reaches a preset value, which is specific for each tissu being bonded. The material for making lectrodes is selected so that the electrode may serve as an effective heat sink for conducting heat away from the tissue surface. The electrodes are dimensioned relative to the thickness of tissue in a compressed state.
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Citations
63 Claims
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1. Apparatus for bonding soft biological tissue having an incision therein, comprising:
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forceps adapted to grip a portion of the tissue on both sides of the incision;
electrodes adapted to contact said tissue portion;
an electrical power source for providing a high frequency electrical signal to said electrodes to be passed through said tissue portion; and
control means coupled to said electrical power source to provide said electrodes with one voltage signal during a first of two stages, and another voltage signal during a second of said two stages. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 49)
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23. Apparatus for bonding soft biological tissue having an incision therein, comprising:
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forceps adapted to grip a portion of the tissue on both sides of the incision;
electrodes adapted to contact said tissue portion;
an electrical power source for providing a high frequency electrical signal to said electrodes to be passed through said tissue portion; and
clamping means for applying force with said forceps to compress said tissue portion, said force being set to different levels in two time periods, respectively, while said high frequency electrical signal is being passed through said tissue portion. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 50)
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35. Apparatus for bonding soft biological tissue having an incision therein, comprising:
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forceps adapted to grip a portion of the tissue on both sides of the incision;
electrodes adapted to contact said tissue portion;
an electrical power source for providing a high frequency electrical signal to said electrodes to be passed through said tissue portion; and
control means for providing a constant voltage level of said signal during at least a portion of a time period when said high frequency electrical energy is passed through said tissue portion, and for modulating said constant level by a low frequency signal. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 51)
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39. Apparatus for bonding soft biological tissue having an incision therein, comprising:
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forceps adapted to grip a portion of the tissue on both sides of the incision;
electrodes secured to said forceps for contacting said tissue portion;
an electrical power source for providing a high frequency electrical signal to said electrodes to be passed through said tissue portion; and
wherein said electrodes are dimensioned relative to size of said tissue portion to be an effective heat sink for conducting heat away from said tissue and thereby prevent sticking of tissue to said electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41)
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42. Apparatus for bonding soft biological tissue having an incision therein, comprising:
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forceps adapted to grip a portion of the tissue on both sides of the incision;
electrodes adapted to contact said tissue portion;
an electrical power source for providing an electrical signal to said electrodes to be passed through said tissue portion;
means for predetermining impedance variation in said tissue portion as a function of time while said electrical signal passes through said tissue portion, and to provide a preselected impedance value;
means for measuring impedance of said tissue portion to provide a measured impedance signal as a function of time while said electrical signal passes through said tissue portion; and
means for stopping said electrical signal from being passed through said tissue portion when a value of the measured impedance signal reaches a preset impedance value relative to said preselected impedance value, said preselected impedance value being specific in particular to the biological tissue being bonded. - View Dependent Claims (43, 52, 53, 55, 56)
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44. A method for bonding soft biological tissue having an incision therein, comprising the steps of:
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gripping a portion of the tissue on both sides of the incision with forceps;
contacting said tissue portion with electrodes;
providing a high frequency electrical signal to said electrodes to be passed through said tissue portion; and
providing said electrodes with one voltage signal during a first of two stages, and another voltage signal during a second of said two stages.
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45. A method for bonding soft biological tissue having an incision therein, comprising the steps of:
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gripping a portion of the tissue on both sides of the incision with forceps;
contacting said tissue portion with electrodes;
providing a high frequency electrical signal to said electrodes to be passed through said tissue portion; and
applying force with said forceps to compress said tissue portion, said force being s t to different levels in two time p riods, resp ctiv ly, while said high frequency lectrical signal is being passed through said tissue portion.
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46. A method for bonding soft biological tissue having an incision therein, comprising the steps of:
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gripping a portion of the tissue on both sides of the incision with forceps;
contacting said tissue portion with electrodes;
providing a high frequency electrical signal to said electrodes to be passed through said tissue portion; and
providing a constant voltage level of said signal during at least a portion of a time period when said high frequency electrical energy is passed through said tissue portion, and modulating said constant level by a low frequency signal.
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47. A method for bonding soft biological tissue having an incision therein, comprising the steps of:
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gripping a portion of the tissue on both sides of the incision with forceps;
contacting said tissue portion with electrodes;
providing a high frequency electrical signal to said electrodes to be passed through said tissue portion; and
dimensioning said electrodes relative to size of said tissue portion to be an ffective heat sink for conducting heat away from said tissue and thereby prevent sticking of tissue to said electrodes.
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48. A method for bonding soft biological tissue having an incision therein, comprising the steps of:
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gripping a portion of the tissue on both sides of the incision with forceps;
contacting said tissue portion with electrodes;
providing an electrical signal to said electrodes to be passed through said tissue portion;
predetermining impedance variation in said tissue portion as a function of time while said electrical signal passes through said tissue portion, and providing a preselected impedance value;
measuring impedance of said tissue portion to provide a measured impedance signal as a function of time while said electrical signal passes through said tissue portion; and
stopping said electrical signal from being passed through said tissue portion when a value of the measured impedance signal reaches a preset impedance value relative to said preselected impedance value, said preselected impedance value being specific in particular to the biological tissue being bonded. - View Dependent Claims (54, 57, 58)
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59. Apparatus for bonding soft biological tissue having an incision therein, comprising:
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forceps adapted to grip a portion of the tissue on both sides of the incision;
electrodes adapted to contact said tissue portion in an electrode/tissue contact area;
an electrical power source for providing a high frequency electrical signal to said electrodes to be passed through said tissue portion; and
wherein said electrodes are dimensioned relative to size of said tissue portion to maintain uniformity in said electrode/tissue contact area. - View Dependent Claims (60)
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61. A method for bonding soft biological tissue having an incision therein, comprising the steps of:
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gripping a portion of the tissue on both sides of the incision with forceps;
contacting said tissue portion with electrodes in an electrode/tissue contact area;
providing a high frequency electrical signal to said electrodes to be passed through said tissue portion; and
dimensioning said electrodes relative to size of said tissue portion to maintain uniformity in said electrode/tissue contact area.
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62. Apparatus for bonding soft biological tissue having an incision therein, comprising:
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forceps adapted to grip a portion of the tissue on both sides of the incision;
electrodes adapted to contact said tissue portion;
an electrical power source for providing an electrical signal to said electrodes to be passed through said tissue portion;
means for measuring imp dance of said tissue portion as a function of time while said electrical signal passes through said tissue portion;
means for determining and storing a minimal value of tissue impedance while said electrical signal passes through said tissue portion;
means for determining a ratio of said measured tissue portion impedance to said minimal value of tissue impedance while said electrical signal passes through said tissue portion after said impedance reaches its minimal value; and
means for stopping said electrical signal from being passed through said tissue portion when said impedance ratio reaches a preset value, said preset value being specific for each bonded biological tissue.
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63. A method for bonding soft biological tissue having an incision therein, comprising the steps of:
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gripping a portion of the tissue on both sides of the incision with forceps;
contacting said tissue portion with electrodes;
providing a gradually rising voltage to said electrodes for passing electric current through said tissue portion, the rate of the voltage rise being specific for each bonded biological tissue;
m asuring impedance of said tissu portion as a function of time while said voltag is provided to said electrodes;
determining and storing a minimal value of said impedance;
stabilizing the high frequency voltage at a level corresponding to said minimal impedance value;
determining a ratio of said measured tissue portion impedance to said minimal value; and
stopping said high frequency voltage from being passed through said electrodes when said impedance ratio reaches a preset value, said preset value being specific for each bonded biological tissue.
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Specification