Methods and apparatus for welding blood vessels

Claim 2

Apparatus for welding a blood vessel comprising: a first member having a first blood vessel engaging surface and a portion defining a first opening extending through the first blood vessel engaging surface; a second member having a second blood vessel engaging surface and a portion defining a second opening extending through the second blood vessel engaging surface, the second opening aligned with the first opening, the second member operatively coupled to the first member to grasp the blood vessel to define an engagement plane; an extension member movable from a retracted position, wherein the extension member is remote from the engagement plane, to an extended position, wherein the extension member passes through the first and second openings and the engagement plane, the extension member adapted to contact and extend a portion of the blood vessel when moved to the extended position; and a first electrode disposed to apply RF energy to the portion of the blood vessel when the extension member is in the extended position.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first opening communicates with a slot in the first member and the second opening communicates with a channel formed in the second member.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the channel forms a mating surface to a surface of the extension member.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first member and second members comprise first and second opposing jaw arms.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an actuation mechanism for moving at least one of the first and second opposing jaw arms towards and away from other.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the extension member is independently operable from the first and second members.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first electrode is disposed on a first surface of the extension member, the apparatus further comprising a second electrode disposed on a second surface of the extension member.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a sensor disposed on one of the first member, the second member and extension member.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the sensor is a temperature sensor, the apparatus further comprising an RF power controller that modulates the RF energy responsive to an output of the temperature sensor.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the sensor is an impedance-monitoring sensor, the apparatus further comprising an RF power controller that modulates the RF energy responsive to an output of the impedance-monitoring sensor.

Claim 14

The method of claim 11 wherein longitudinally extending an intermediate portion of the blood vessel further comprises reducing an extracellular fluid content of the blood vessel.

Claim 15

The method of claim 11 wherein longitudinally extending an intermediate portion of the blood vessel further comprises reducing the intermediate portion to a substantially uniform thickness.

Claim 16

The method of claim 11 wherein longitudinally extending an intermediate portion of the blood vessel to alter an impedance of the intermediate portion further comprises making the impedance of the intermediate portion substantially uniform.

Claim 17

The method of claim 11 further comprising contacting a sensor to the intermediate portion of the blood vessel.

Claim 18

The method of claim 15 wherein the sensor monitors temperature of the intermediate portion of the blood vessel and generates an output signal, the method further comprising modulating the RF energy applied to the intermediate portion responsive to the output signal.

Claim 19

The method of claim 16 further comprising modulating the RF energy applied to the intermediate portion to prevent a preselected temperature value from being exceeded.

Claim 20

The method of claim 15 wherein the sensor monitors impedance of the intermediate portion of the blood vessel and generates an output signal, the method further comprising modulating the RF energy applied to the intermediate portion responsive to the output signal.

Claim 21

The method of claim 18 further comprising modulating the RF energy applied to the intermediate portion to prevent a preselected impedance value from being exceeded.

Claim 22

The method of claim 11 further comprising monitoring a value of RF energy delivered to the intermediate portion and ceasing application of RF energy responsive the value exceeding a predetermined value.

Claim 23

Apparatus for welding a blood vessel comprising: a first member having a first blood vessel engaging surface and a portion defining a first opening extending through the first blood vessel engaging surface; a second member having a second blood vessel engaging surface and a portion defining a second opening extending through the second blood vessel engaging surface, the second opening aligned with the first opening, the second member operatively coupled to the first member to grasp the blood vessel to define an engagement plane; an extension member having an atraumatic surface, and movable from a retracted position, wherein the atraumatic surface is remote from the engagement plane, to an extended position, wherein the atraumatic surface passes through the first and second openings and the engagement plane, the atraumatic surface adapted to contact and longitudinally extend a portion of the blood vessel, without cutting, when moved to the extended position; and a first electrode disposed to apply RF energy to the portion of the blood vessel when the extension member is in the extended position.

Claim 24

Apparatus for welding a blood vessel comprising: a first member having a first blood vessel engaging surface and a portion defining a first opening extending through the first blood vessel engaging surface; a second member having a second blood vessel engaging surface and a portion defining a second opening extending through the second blood vessel engaging surface, the second opening aligned with the first opening, the second member operatively coupled to the first member to grasp the blood vessel to define an engagement plane; an extension member having an atraumatic surface, and movable from a retracted position, wherein the atraumatic surface is remote from the engagement plane, to an extended position, wherein the atraumatic surface passes through the first and second openings and the engagement plane, the atraumatic surface adapted to contact and longitudinally extend a portion of the blood vessel, without cutting, when moved to the extended position; and a first electrode disposed to apply RF energy to the portion of the blood vessel when the extension member is in the extended position.

Claim 25

The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the first opening communicates with a slot in the first member and the second opening communicates with a channel formed in the second member.

Claim 26

The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the channel forms a mating surface to a surface of the extension member.

Claim 27

The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the first and second members comprise first and second opposing jaw arms.

Claim 28

The apparatus of claim 21 further comprising an actuation mechanist for moving at least one of the first and second opposing jaw arms towards and away from other.

Claim 29

The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the extension member is independently operable from the first and second members.

Claim 30

The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the first electrode is disposed on a first surface of the extension member, the apparatus further comprising a second electrode disposed on a second surface of the extension member.

Claim 31

The apparatus of claim 21 further comprising a sensor disposed on one of the first member, the second member and extension member.

Claim 32

The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the sensor is a temperature sensor, the apparatus further comprising an RF power controller that modulates the RF energy responsive to an output of the temperature sensor.

Claim 33

The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the sensor is an impedance-monitoring sensor, the apparatus further comprising an RF power controller that modulates the RF energy responsive to an output of the impedance-monitoring sensor.

Claim 36

The method of claim 31 wherein longitudinally extending an intermediate portion of the blood vessel further comprises reducing an extracellular fluid content of the blood vessel.

Claim 37

The method of claim 31 wherein longitudinally extending an intermediate portion of the blood vessel further comprises reducing the intermediate portion to a substantially uniform thickness.

Claim 38

The method of claim 31 wherein longitudinally extending an intermediate portion of the blood vessel to alter an impedance of the intermediate portion further comprises making the impedance of the intermediate portion substantially uniform.

Claim 39

The method of claim 31 further comprising contacting a sensor to the intermediate portion of the blood vessel.

Claim 40

The method of claim 35 wherein the sensor monitors temperature of the intermediate portion of the blood vessel and generates an output signal, the method further comprising modulating the RF energy applied to the intermediate portion responsive to the output signal.

Claim 41

The method of claim 36 further comprising modulating the RF energy applied to the intermediate portion to prevent a preselected temperature value from being exceeded.

Claim 42

The method of claim 35 wherein the sensor monitors impedance of the intermediate portion of the blood vessel and generates an output signal, the method further comprising modulating the RF energy applied to the intermediate portion responsive to the output signal.

Claim 43

The method of claim 38 further comprising modulating the RF energy applied to the intermediate portion to prevent a preselected impedance value from being exceeded.

Claim 44

The method of claim 31 further comprising monitoring a value of RF energy delivered to the intermediate portion and ceasing application of RF energy responsive the value exceeding a predetermined value.