Tubular resistance heater with electrically insulating high thermal conductivity core for use in a tissue welding device

A system for sealing and cutting tissue, comprising:

• a body comprising a pair of opposing working surfaces that may be moved together and apart so as to apply pressure to tissue there between;
• and
• a resistance heater disposed on at least one of the working surfaces, wherein the resistance heater comprises a tubular heating element adapted to conduct current therethrough and a thermally conductive electrical insulator disposed within the tubular heating element, wherein the tubular heating element has a resistance of less than 10 ohms when a current of less than 10 amperes passes therethrough, and wherein the working surfaces are dimensioned to apply pressure to tissue in a cuffing zone adjacent to the resistance heater while simultaneously applying pressure to tissue in a sealing zone on either side of the cutting zone, wherein the resistance heater and the opposing working surfaces are dimensioned such that the tissue in the cutting zone is in contact with the resistance heater and the tissue in the sealing zones is not in contact with the resistance heater, such that the tissue in the cutting zone can be heated to temperatures in excess of 100 degrees Celsius concurrently with the tissue in the sealing zones being heated to temperatures between 50 to 90 degrees Celsius, and wherein the body does not comprise a moveable blade for slicing through tissue.