Patent ID: 6461346
Filing Date: 2002-10-08
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
A method for sealing an orifice defined through a body wall and into a body region on the other side of the orifice comprising the steps of:providing an instrument comprising: an elongate tube portion having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen extending therebetween, an expansion member having a distal end and a proximal end and a peripheral wall extending therebetween, the peripheral wall being formed of a material impervious to liquid and sufficiently flexible to permit the distal end and the proximal end of the expansion member to be moved relative to each other between an expanded state of the peripheral wall wherein the distal end and the proximal end are spaced from each other by a first distance, and a contracted state of the peripheral wall wherein the distal end and the proximal end are spaced from each other by a second distance greater than the first distance, said expansion member extending axially from said distal end of said elongate tube, the expansion member in the expanded state including a portion having the general configuration of a cone with an apex at the distal end of said expansion member, a base proximal of said apex, and an inclined outer surface extending between the apex and the base and facing generally distally, and an operating member fixedly coupled to the expansion member adjacent the distal end of said expansion member, so as to be substantially immovable axially relative to said expansion member distal end, and extending proximally therefrom through at least a portion of said lumen, displacement of said operating member and expansion member distal end coupled thereto proximally relative to said elongate tube portion so as to reduce a distance between said distal end of said expansion member and said distal end of said elongate tube portion forcibly displacing said peripheral wall toward the expanded state; and performing a procedure including: introducing the distal end of the expansion member into the body orifice; and displacing said operating member and expansion member distal end fixedly coupled thereto relative to said elongate tube portion so as to reduce a distance between said distal end of said expansion member and said distal end of said elongate tube portion and thereby expand said expansion member with said operating member remaining fixedly coupled thereto and engaging said inclined outer surface with said body wall to form a radial seal between the inclined outer surface and the body wall to inhibit fluid from flowing proximally through the orifice; said operating member being fixedly coupled to said expandable structure throughout said procedure.