US 7,488,340 B2
Vascular access closure system
James V. Kauphusman, Champlin, Minn. (US); Howard Root, Excelsior, Minn. (US); and Richard Prather, St. Michael, Minn. (US)
Assigned to Vascular Solutions, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn. (US)
Filed on Jun. 02, 2003, as Appl. No. 10/452,826.
Prior Publication US 2004/0243052 A1, Dec. 02, 2004
Int. Cl. A61B 17/03 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 606—213 6 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for percutaneously sealing a puncture in a blood vessel wall, the puncture being at the termination of a tissue tract that passes through intervening tissues between the vessel wall puncture and a corresponding puncture through the skin, the method comprising:
inserting a flexible stem into a delivery tube;
in the process of inserting the flexible stem into the delivery tube, tensioning the flexible stem so that the flexible stem alters from a transversely expanded state to a generally linear state within the delivery tube;
inserting the delivery tube including the joined flexible stem into an introducer already placed in the tissue tract, the flexible stem having a flange at a distal end thereof;
pushing the delivery tube through the introducer until the distal end of the flexible stem is within a lumen of the blood vessel;
withdrawing the delivery tube from the introducer;
withdrawing the flexible stem until the flange is flush against the blood vessel wall;
withdrawing the introducer from the tissue tract; and
maintaining tension on a portion of the flexible stem by contact between part of the flexible stem and the tissue tract as the flexible stem returns to a transversely expanded state and wherein the flexible stem terminates beneath the skin when the method is completed.