Patent ID: 8590760

Claim:
A surgical stapler for closing a puncture wound in a liquid carrying vessel, comprising: a locator tube having a proximal end and a distal end with an elongate lumen extending through at least a portion thereof for receiving a removable guide wire, the distal end being insertable into the liquid carrying vessel and the lumen extending from a guide wire entry port formed at the distal end of the locator tube toward a guide wire exit port formed in the locator tube and spaced proximally from the distal end of the locator tube, the guide wire exit port being distal to the proximal end of the locator tube, the locator tube further including a position indicator having a lumen extending through the locator tube and having a distal, blood inlet port formed in the locator tube and a proximal, blood outlet port formed in the locator tube, the locator tube further including an expandable member being formed radially about the locator tube and movable between a closed position and an open position, the expandable member distal end being proximal to the guide wire exit port and the guide wire entry port, the position indicator being effective to indicate a position of the expandable member relative to a liquid carrying vessel, the distal, blood inlet port in the locator tube being proximal and adjacent to the expandable member proximal end; and a staple applying apparatus slidably disposed on a portion of the locator tube proximal to the expandable member and slidable over the blood outlet port, the staple applying apparatus being adapted to apply a surgical staple to seal a puncture wound in a liquid carrying vessel.