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Optical energy-based methods and apparatus for tissue sealing

  • US 9,113,934 B2
  • Filed: 05/16/2011
  • Issued: 08/25/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2011
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of sealing vascular tissue using a deforming member, comprising:

  • deforming the vascular tissue to cause different layers of the vascular tissue to contact each other by using the deforming member;

    cutting the vascular tissue using a blade including a cutting edge and opposing side surfaces; and

    distributing first light through at least one of the opposing side surfaces to illuminate and seal at least one cross-sectional surface of the cut vascular tissue with the first light having at least one portion of the first light'"'"'s spectrum overlapping with an absorption spectrum of the vascular tissue,wherein an incident angle of second light with respect to an axis normal to the surface of the deforming member is selected so as to create total internal reflection of the second light within the deforming member so that the second light is reflected off of a boundary between the deforming member and air outside of the deforming member before the surface of deforming member is sufficiently close to the vascular tissue to create frustrated total internal reflection to cause the second light to pass through the surface of the deforming member to the vascular tissue.

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