Patent ID: 6056768
Filing Date: 2000-05-02
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A method of sealing an access passage through the skin and tissue of a patient which opens into a blood vessel comprising the steps of:a) inserting an expandable member attached to a control member into the blood vessel through the access passage while the expandable member is in a collapsed condition smaller in transverse cross-section than the transverse cross-section of the access passage so that the control member extends out of the blood vessel through the access passage exteriorly of the patient;b) expanding the expandable member to an expanded condition larger in transverse cross-sectional size than that of the access passage;c) pulling the expanded expandable member back against the wall of the blood vessel at the opening of the access passage therethrough using the control member to substantially close the blood vessel wall opening with the expandable member having a shape in the expanded condition to maintain the blood vessel wall opening sealed;d) inserting a preformed member of sealing material having a leading end and a preformed central passage therethrough over the control member while the preformed sealing material is housed in a retractable tubular member in an applicator device and sliding the preformed sealing material and the retractable tubular member along the control member into the access passage while the control member keeps the blood vessel wall opening closed as the leading end of said preformed member of sealing material is located adjacent to but outside of the blood vessel wall opening;e) retracting the retractable tubular member from around the preformed member of sealing material while maintaining the preformed member of sealing material substantially fixed axially of the control member;f) after the blood vessel wall opening is sealed, deflating the expandable member to the collapsed condition; and,g) retracting the collapsed expandable member back through the sealing material while holding the sealing material in position axially of the access passage so that the sealing material is left in position as the collapsed expandable member is retracted therethrough while the interior of the blood vessel is left clear for the free passage of blood therethrough.