Vascular tissue sealing pressure control

摘要

A clamping force mechanism (10) and its method of use with electrosurgery allow a user to seal and/or joint patient's particular vascular tissue; the mechanism is elongate with user and patient ends (14). An actuator (15) is at the user end (13) and the effectors are at the patient end (14). Each effector has a face of an area to contact the particular vascular tissue. A lost motion connection (18) transfers user actuation to the effectors to hold a predetermined clamping force during electrosurgical tissue sealing. A yielding member (19) in the loss motion connection clamps the particular tissue between the faces with a predetermined force. The yielding member (19) is a spring (20), slip clutch (36) or hydraulic coupling possibly near the actuator (15). An active electrode is carried on one end effector and a return electrode (24) contacts the tissue so an electrosurgical energy supply (25) connected thereacross delivers energy therebetween. A feedback circuit (27) responds to parameters of energy delivered to tissue. A temperature sensor (28) on one face and an impedance monitor (29) respond to energy delivered. A control (30) applies energy to held tissue to seal and/or join it. The method transfers user actuation of the effectors with the lost motion connection (18), maintains clamping force while sealing and applying electrosurgical energy to seal and/or join held tissue. Energy is applied to a temperature or an impedance. The method shifts the yielding member (19) so the opposing faces (17) clamp the particular tissue therebetween with the force from the spring (20), via a transfer rod or by hydraulic coupling or the slip clutch (36) for a range of pressure.