Patent ID: 8246585

Claim:
A device for inhibiting blood leakage from a proximal end of a catheter or sheath, having a lumen, that has been inserted into a blood vessel in a living being when a guidewire is inserted into the lumen and the guidewire and the catheter extend outside of the blood vessel; the device comprising: a flexible, resilient body defining a generally cylindrical passage at least partially therethrough and along at least part of a common axis extending from a first end to a second end of the flexible, resilient body, the cylindrical passage extending at least partially from the first end toward the second end and being sized to receive the guidewire in close apposition therein; the flexible resilient body having a proximal portion and a distal extension portion extending outwardly away from the proximal portion and terminating at the first end, the proximal portion terminating at the second end opposed to the first end; the proximal portion and the distal extension portion further together defining an exterior slot extending from the first end to the second end and communicating along a substantially radial path extending outwardly from the generally cylindrical passage between the generally cylindrical passage and an outer surface of the flexible resilient body continuously from the first end to the second end; the first end being shaped to interface with the proximal end of the catheter in a substantially sealing relationship whereby fluid leakage from the proximal end of the catheter is inhibited; and at least two actuators extending generally outwardly from the proximal portion such that when force is applied to the actuators the slot is shifted from a closed orientation to an open orientation.