Temperature control during laser vessel welding.

A technique is described for the computer control of temperature during laser vessel welding. The technique is based on the use of thermal feedback from a calibrated IR sensor. The utilization of thermalfeedback makes it possible for welding to be performed at a quasiconstant temperature. An experimentalsystem based on this concept has been developed and evaluated in mock anastomoses with vasculartissue. A computer simulation of laser vessel welding with a one-dimensional heat conduction model hasbeen performed. Model parameters have been adjusted so that the relative effect of laser penetrationdepth and tissue dehydration as well as the role of thermal feedback in limiting the peak surfacetemperature can be studied. The results of the mock anastomoses are discussed in light of the computer model.