Patent ID: 6699261
Filing Date: 2004-03-02
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A method of sealing an opening in a blood vessel wall through an access passage in the skin and tissue of a patient, comprising the steps of:a) inserting an expandable member attached to a control member into the blood vessel lumen through the opening in the blood vessel wall while the expandable member is in a collapsed condition smaller than the blood vessel wall opening so that the control member extends out of the blood vessel wall opening and the access passage exteriorly of the patient; b) expanding the expandable member to an expanded condition larger than the blood vessel wall opening; c) pulling the expandable member back against the blood vessel wall opening using the control member to form a seal at the blood vessel wall opening; d) inserting a collagen plug into the access passage around the control member while the seal is maintained at the blood vessel wall opening until the collagen plug is located at the blood vessel wall opening and visually indicating when the end of the collagen plug is located at the opening in the blood vessel wall by providing indicia on the control member which are visible outside the body when the collagen plug is properly located; e) after a coagulum is formed at the blood vessel wall opening to seal the opening, deflating the expandable member to the collapsed condition; and, f) retracting the collapsed expandable member through the collagen plug while leaving the collagen plug in position so that the coagulum seals the opening through the collagen plug.