A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plug means includes an orifice therethrough, said guide means being disposed through said orifice, said orifice automatically closing when said guide means is removed therefrom.

A device for closing a puncture in a wall of an artery comprising: an elongated member having a distal end, said elongated member sized to be fitted through a passageway leading to said puncture so that said distal end is disposed near said puncture in said artery, a separable plug member for plugging said puncture being disposed in said elongated member, a movable guide element extending longitudinally through said elongated member and said plug member for extension through said puncture for guiding said plug member to said puncture, and an ejecting mechanism for ejecting said plug member from said distal end of said elongated member so as to place said plug member in blocking relation with said puncture, so as to seal said puncture. view more

A method of closing a puncture in a wall of an artery made for the purpose of moving an elongated cardiac catheter into the artery in which an exterior guide tube is extended through a passage leading to the puncture and through the puncture in the wall of the artery and into the artery so a to enable the catheter to be guidingly moved through the guide tube and into the artery, the method comprising the steps of: withdrawing the cardiac catheter and moving the guide tube outwardly so that it no longer extends within the puncture, extending a plug having a removable guide wire extending longitudinally therethrough so that the guide wire extends from the plug through said puncture, moving the plug inwardly along the guide wire into blocking relation with said puncture, and withdrawing the guide wire from the plug so as to leave the plug sealed in blocking relation with said puncture. view more

NA

An insertion assembly for sealing an incision in the body of a patient wherein the incision extends from the skin of the patient into a blood vessel of the patient, said insertion assembly comprising in combination: a vessel plug which is constructed of a material that is absorbable within the body of a patient and which seals the incision from the flow of blood therethrough; and an elongate positioning member having a passage way therein for the receipt of said vessel plug therein, and at least a portion of said positioning member is expandable so that it has an outer diameter in use which is greater than the diameter of the incision to position said vessel plug in the incision proximally of the blood vessel such that said vessel plug obstructs the flow of blood through the incision without extending into the blood vessel. view more

An assembly for sealing or closing an incision or puncture in the body of a living patient wherein the incision or puncture extends into a blood vessel or an organ of the patient, the assembly comprising: an elongate shaft member having a proximal end and a distal end and having an expandable member disposed at said distal end, said expandable member constructed to be positioned alternatively in a relaxed condition and an expanded condition; said shaft member and said expandable member dimensioned to be inserted within the puncture so that said expandable member is positioned within a target organ or blood vessel of the patient; control member operatively connected to said expandable member and associated with said shaft member for selectively positioning said expandable member between said expanded condition and said relaxed condition; and a vessel plug operatively associated with said shaft member for insertion into the puncture, said expandable member configured to cooperate with said plug when said expandable member is in said expanded condition to prevent said vessel plug from entering the vessel or the organ of the patient, and said vessel plug, when sealingly positioned within the puncture, extends proximally of the target organ or blood vessel without extending into said vessel or said organ. view more

An apparatus for sealing or closing an incision or puncture in the body of a living patient wherein the incision or puncture extends into a blood vessel or an organ of the patient, the apparatus comprising: a tubular member having a proximal end and a distal end and having an expandable member disposed at said distal end of said catheter, said expandable member constructed to be positioned alternatively in a relaxed condition and an expanded condition; said expandable member dimensioned to be positioned within a target organ or blood vessel of the patient and constructed to permit blood and other body fluids to pass through the target organ or blood vessel while said expandable member is positioned therein; a control member operatively attachable at one end thereof to control expansion of said expandable member through said tubular member; and a vessel plug operatively associated with said tubular member and said expandable member, said vessel plug dimensioned to close the puncture or incision, said expandable member, when in said expanded condition within said blood vessel or said target organ, preventing said vessel plug from extending into said vessel or said organ. view more

The method of claim 43 wherein said inserting of an elongated tubular member into the incision is accomplished by inserting said tubular member through a sheath introducer extending from the skin of the patient and into said vessel or target organ. view more

The method of claim 9 further including the step of inflating a member on an insertion member to identify the location of the blood vessel adjacent to the incision.