Patent ID: 8574245

Claim:
A method of performing a procedure on a vascular or cardiac structure comprising: inserting a guidewire into the common carotid artery through a puncture in the wall of the common carotid artery; inserting a suture delivery device over the guidewire into the common carotid artery such that a distal tip of the suture delivery device dilates an opening of an arteriotomy into the artery, the distal tip having an outer surface that tapers at an angle of 3 to 7 degrees relative to a longitudinal midline of a distal portion of the device, the distal tip having a length of about 1 to 3 cm, and wherein the suture delivery device is used to dilate the opening of the arteriotomy without having previously dilated the opening using a catheter or introducer sheath; drawing at least one end of a suture outside the body of the patient using the suture delivery device such that the suture can be held until such time as the suture is to be tied off to create a permanent closure of the arteriotomy; removing the suture delivery device while leaving the guidewire in place; inserting a procedural sheath over the guidewire into the common carotid artery; inserting a therapeutic device or devices through the sheath to the treatment site, performing a therapeutic procedure, and removing the therapeutic device or devices from the sheath; removing the sheath; and tying off the ends of the suture to close the arterial access site.