Bonding of soft biological tissues by passing high frequency electric current therethrough

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 a first voltage signal during a first of two stages, and a second voltage signal during a second of said two stages, wherein said control means modulates said second voltage level during at least said second stage by a low frequency signal to provide tissue welding that forms a weld to reconnect the tissue.

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 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 to provide tissue welding that forms a weld to reconnect the tissue.

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 an electrical signal to said electrodes to be passed through said tissue portion;
• means for providing a gradually increasing electrical signal to said tissue portion;
• means for measuring an impedance of said tissue portion as a function of time while said electrical signal passes through said tissue portion;
• means for determining and memorizing a minimum impedance while a gradually increasing electrical signal passes through said tissue portion;
• means for stabilization of the electrical signal at a level correspoinding to said minimum value of tissue impedance at a time following said period of gradual increase of the electrical signal;
• means for determining said tissue portion impedance relative to its said minimum value while said electrical signal passes through said tissue poirtion after the impedance has reached its minimum value;
• and
• means for stopping said electrical signal from being passed through said tissue portion when said tissue portion impedance value relative to its minimum impedance value reaches a preset level, said preset level being specific in particular to the biological tissue being bonded.

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 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 a dimension of said electrodes is selected relative to a thickness of said tissue portion in order to avoid overheating of the electrodes to provide tissue welding that forms a weld to reconnect the tissue.

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 an electrical signal to said electrodes to be passed through said tissue portion, wherein said signal includes a high frequency signal modulated by a low frequency signal;
• means for measuring impedance 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 more than one 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.