Patent ID: 7682373

Claim:
An assembly for closing a vascular wound comprising: a hemostatic material adapted to facilitate blood clotting sufficient to close the vascular wound; a delivery tube defining a chamber configured to accommodate the hemostatic material therewithin, the delivery tube having a proximal end and a distal end, the hemostatic material being carried within the chamber; an apparatus configured to position the distal end of the delivery tube at or near a vascular wound; and a pusher member having a distal portion configured to fit at least partially through the proximal end of the delivery tube without deforming the delivery tube, the pusher member and delivery tube releasably connected to one another with the distal portion of the pusher member fit at least partially into the proximal end of the delivery tube and proximal of the hemostatic material within the chamber, a portion of the pusher member having a diameter larger than an inner diameter of at least a portion of the delivery tube; wherein the pusher member and delivery tube are configured so that as the pusher member is moved distally relative to the delivery tube while the hemostatic material remains within the chamber, the pusher member engages the delivery tube proximal of at least a portion of the hemostatic material and through that engagement deforms the delivery tube so as to create at least one opening for the hemostatic material to exit the chamber.