Patent ID: 7955343

Claim:
A device for closing the lumen of a blood vessel, said device comprising: an elongate probe member having a distal end; means for collapsing the blood vessel wall in a manner that closes the blood vessel lumen at a location adjacent the distal end of the probe; a vessel wall fusing means for fusing the blood vessel wall; said probe being insertable into a blood vessel at a location where it is desired to close the lumen of the blood vessel such that blood will not subsequently flow though the closed blood vessel lumen, said means for collapsing the blood vessel wall being then useable to collapse a portion of the blood vessel adjacent the distal end of the probe in a manner that closes the blood vessel lumen, said vessel wall fusing means being then useable to fuse the blood vessel wall in the collapsed area, thereby causing the blood vessel lumen to remain closed so that blood does not subsequently flow therethrough.