Patent ID: 8425552

Claim:
An assembly for locating and closing a vascular puncture, comprising: an elongate, unitary catheter having a lumen sized and adapted to accommodate a guidewire threaded therethrough, the catheter comprising a distal tip having a first outer diameter and a non-inflatable puncture edge engagement portion proximal of the distal tip and having a second outer diameter greater than the first diameter, the catheter being generally tapered from the distal tip to the engagement portion, the catheter configured to slide over the guidewire so that a portion of the catheter extends through the vascular puncture and the engagement portion engages edges of the puncture and urges such edges radially outwardly, the engagement portion sized to flex the puncture edges radially outwardly sufficient to substantially plug the puncture; a hemostatic sponge positioned on the catheter entirely proximal of the engagement portion and arranged so as to extend substantially circumferentially around an outer surface of the catheter; a retractor selectively movable between a closed position and an open position, the retractor configured so that when in the closed position portions of the retractor on opposing sides of the catheter engage the outer surface of the catheter sufficient so that the catheter and retractor move together when the retractor is closed upon the catheter, the retractor additionally configured when in the closed position to prevent distal movement of the sponge longitudinally over the catheter and past the retractor, the retractor further configured when in the open position to enable the sponge to move longitudinally over the catheter and through the open retractor; and a push member configured to engage the hemostatic sponge and push the sponge distally over the catheter when the retractor is in the open position.