Method and apparatus for applying thermal energy to tissue using a clamp

An apparatus for occluding any organ having a lumen by causing the formation of a proteinaceous framework from denatured protein within the walls of the lumen being occluded, the apparatus comprising:

• a clamp having a plurality of apertures and having a surface of concave curvature shaped to compress the organ and to tightly close off the lumen when the surface of the clamp engages with the organ;
• an optical energy source for providing energy which is capable of heating tissue to form an adhesive proteinaceous substance;
• and
• means for sealing and thereby occluding the lumen by directing energy from the source through the compressed organ engaged with the scamp to heat the organ to a nondestructive range bounded by a minimum temperature at which tissue forms a denatured proteinaceous substance and a maximum temperature at which water in the tissue would boil, said sealing means including means for delivering the optical energy through the plurality of apertures int he clamp and through said tissue being occluded.

A method for reconstructing tissue by causing the formation of a proteinaceous framework from denatured protein in the vicinity of biological tissue, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing an energy source which is capable of heating the tissue to form an adhesive proteinaceous substance;
• providing a layer of material which is transmissive to the provided energy;
• engaging the tissue to be welded with the transmissive material;
• delivering the energy from the source through the engaged transmissive material to a area on the biological tissue to be reconstructed;
• controlling the energy directed at the area to be within a nondestructive range bounded by a minimum rate at which tissue forms a denatured proteinaceous substance and a maximum rate at which water in the tissue would boil;
• delivering the energy from the source by feeding the energy into on end of an optical fiber media ad directing the energy exiting the other end of the media through the material and at the area;
• placing the other end of the media adjacent the material;
• and
• selecting the thickness of the transmissive material to ensure that the distance between one end of the fiber optic cable and the tissue to be reconstructed is maintained at a predetermined distance.

A method for anastomosing biological tissue, by causing the formation of a proteinaceous framework from denatured protein on adjacent edges of the tissue being joined, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a clamp having a first jaw that rotates about a pivot towards a second jaw;
• placing adjacent edges of a the tissue in close proximity to each other in between the jaws;
• actuating the clamp to pivot the first jaw toward the second jaw to engage the tissue with sufficient pressure to force the edges of the tissue to contact;
• providing energy which is capable of heating tissue to form an adhesive proteinaceous substance;
• directing the energy at the edges of the tissue to heat the contacting edges of the tissue to a temperature within a nondestructive range bounded by a minimum temperature at which tissue forms a denatured proteinaceous substance and a maximum temperature at which water in the tissue would boil;
• forming the tissue engaging surface of the jaws in a concave or circular shape;
• extending a protrusion along an edge of the tissue engaging surface to form a ledge which forces the edges of the tissue to contact when the surface of the jaw engages the tissue;
• contacting the tissue with the ledge when the jaws are activated;
• and
• directing the energy at the tissue approximation while the edges of the tissue are in contact.