The present invention relates to a sutureless method of repairing soft tissue defects in soft tissue including ligaments such as anterior cruciate ligaments (ACLs). In particular, the present invention relates a sutureless method of repairing soft tissue defect comprising: (i) providing a collagen-containing patch adapted to enclose at least a portion of said soft tissue defect; (ii) contacting said soft tissue defect and/or collagen-containing patch with a sensitizer; (Hi) enclosing said soft tissue defect in said collagen-containing patch to produce a bioactive chamber; and (iv) adhering said collagen-containing patch to said soft tissue defect without sutures.

The present invention provides a method of nerve repair using localized delivery of heat. The method involves localized induction of hyperthermia for end-to-end attachment of severed peripheral nerves by delivering stimulus responsive materials and exposing them to an excitation source under conditions wherein they emit heat. The generation of heat effects the joining of the nerve ends.

A method of closing an opening in a tissue comprises providing a light absorbing material, introducing the light absorbing material into a tissue opening, and irradiating the light absorbing material with at least one light source so as to increase a temperature of the light absorbing material, causing the tissue edges of the tissue opening adhere to the light absorbing material and/or to each other. A kit comprising a light absorbing material and a light emitting device is also described.

The present invention relates to microclosures and methods for treating microwounds in the skin (e.g., after incising or excising tissue portions from a subject). Exemplary microclosures include a material having at least one dimension of from about 10 um to about 1 mm after application to a microwound. The microclosure maintains a first compressive force when applied to the microwound.

Methods and apparatus are provided to facilitate the minimally invasive removal of tissue and to facilitate the direct approach to anesthetizing a body wall of a patient. A pull-type cutting device also is disclosed to introduce an opening into the body wall to provide access for intra-chest surgical interventions, for example a minimally invasive biopsy technique as also described for excising target tissue from within a patient, including a nodule from within the patient's lung.

The present invention relates to a sutureless method of repairing soft tissue defects in soft tissue including ligaments such as anterior cruciate ligaments (ACLs). In particular, the present invention relates a sutureless method of repairing soft tissue defect comprising: (i) providing a collagen-containing patch adapted to enclose at least a portion of said soft tissue defect; (ii) contacting said soft tissue defect and/or collagen-containing patch with a sensitizer; (Hi) enclosing said soft tissue defect in said collagen-containing patch to produce a bioactive chamber; and (iv) adhering said collagen-containing patch to said soft tissue defect without sutures.

Supercontinuum (SC) (400 nm to 2500 nm) and a microscope produce enhanced microscopic images on sub-micron to cm scale of linear (.sub.1) and nonlinear (.sub.2, .sub.3, .sub.4 . . . ) processes via resonance including linear absorption, SHG, THG, SRG, SRL, SRS, 2PEF, 3PEF, 4PEF, and inverse Raman in a microscope for 2D and 3D imaging. Images and processes in 2D and 3D arise from electronic and vibrational resonances transitions in biological and medical tissues, cells, condensed matter applications. Resonant Stimulated Raman Scattering (RSRS) is proposed to improve vibrational imaging of biomaterials by using part of SC. Quantum mechanical processes from SC for 2 and 4 photons to improve resolution and imaging using entangled photons are described. The addition of time measuring instrument like a Streak camera and the scattering coefficient .sub.s can be mapped to create images of tissue and biomaterial in 5D: Space (3D), Time, and Wavelength.

Methods and apparatus are provided to facilitate the minimally invasive removal of tissue and to facilitate the direct approach to anesthetizing a body wall of a patient. A pull-type cutting device also is disclosed to introduce an opening into the body wall to provide access for intra-chest surgical interventions, for example a minimally invasive biopsy technique as also described for excising target tissue from within a patient, including a nodule from within the patient's lung.

Methods and apparatus are provided to facilitate the minimally invasive removal of tissue and to facilitate the direct approach to anesthetizing a body wall of a patient. A pull-type cutting device also is disclosed to introduce an opening into the body wall to provide access for intra-chest surgical interventions, for example a minimally invasive biopsy technique as also described for excising target tissue from within a patient, including a nodule from within the patient's lung.

Supercontinuum (SC) (400 nm to 2500 nm) and a microscope produce enhanced microscopic images on sub-micron to cm scale of linear (.sub.1) and nonlinear (.sub.2, .sub.3, .sub.4 . . . ) processes via resonance including linear absorption, SHG, THG, SRG, SRL, SRS. 2PEF, 3PEF, 4PEF, and inverse Raman in a microscope for 2D and 3D imaging. Images and processes in 2D and 3D arise from electronic and vibrational resonances transitions in biological and medical tissues, cells, condensed matter applications. Resonant Stimulated Raman Scattering (RSRS) is proposed to improve vibrational imaging of biomaterials by using part of SC. Quantum mechanical processes from SC for 2 and 4 photons to improve resolution and imaging using entangled photons are described. The addition of time measuring instrument like a Streak camera and the scattering coefficient .sub.s can be mapped to create images of tissue and biomaterial in 5D: Space (3D), Time, and Wavelength.