Development of tissue adhesion method using integrated low-level energies.

We have developed a method that allows biological tissues to be adhered together with minimal invasion by delivering integrated low-level energies from heat, pressure, and vibration. Tensile tests on adhered slices of porcine aorta were performed to determine the relationships between adhesive strength and conditions such as adhesion temperature, time, pressure, and vibration. The maximal adhesive shear tensile strength using the proposed method was 0.2MPa, which is half the strength of the porcine aorta and stronger than surgical tissue adhesive. Adhesion strength increased in proportion to temperature, time, and pressure, and also in the presence of vibration, indicating that vibrational energy contributes to the adhesive mechanism and strength. Adhesive stability, the effect of heat on adhesive strength, and the ability of tissue to adhere to artificial materials were also clarified.