Patent ID: 8518063

Claim:
A method of closing an opening in a blood vessel, the method comprising: providing a vessel closure device comprising an electrically conductive material; advancing the vessel closure device percutaneously to an opening in a vessel to mechanically draw together sides of the opening or occlude the opening; connecting a power source to said electrically conductive material; providing electrical power to the electrically conductive material via the power source to thereby heat tissue in an area near the opening to facilitate the closure or healing of the opening, wherein advancing the vessel closure device comprises: introducing a tubular medical device into the opening in the vessel; and advancing the vessel closure device over the tubular medical device until the vessel closure device is near or contacts the vessel, wherein advancing the vessel closure device over the tubular medical device comprises utilizing a deployment device separate from said tubular medical device, wherein said step of utilizing a deployment device comprises mounting the deployment device to the tubular medical device before or after the tubular medical device has been inserted into the body, and wherein said deployment device is mounted to the tubular medical device using a longitudinal slot in said deployment device.