Patent ID: 8317824

Claim:
A device for sealing and/or closing an opening in a vessel wall and/or an adjacent tissue tract, the device comprising: an anchor; a filament including a first end, a second end, and a length extending therebetween, wherein the first end of the filament is coupled to the anchor; a biodegradable plug disposed about the filament adjacent to the anchor, wherein the plug include an elongate member including a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is adjacent to the anchor, wherein the plug is configured to compress when deployed in the tissue tract and/or opening in the vessel wall such that the second end moves towards the first end over the filament; and a device sheath having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen extending therebetween, wherein the device sheath is configured to deliver the anchor, plug, and/or filament to the tissue tract and/or vessel opening for deployment; and a device handle coupled to the proximal end of the device sheath, wherein the device handle includes a plunger configured to deploy the anchor, plug, and/or filament into the tissue tract and/or opening in the vessel wall; and an insertion sheath, wherein the device sheath is disposed within the insertion sheath, wherein the anchor is configured to automatically seat against a distal end of the insertion sheath when the device sheath is inserted into the insertion sheath and the insertion sheath is subsequently locked to the device handle; wherein the device handle includes a plunger protection mechanism to prevent premature compression of the plug; and wherein the plunger protection mechanism includes a clip and a pin, the clip having a first end coupled to the plunger and a second end configured to releasably engage the pin, wherein the pin is secured relative to the device handle, wherein when the clip is engaged to the pin, the plunger is in a depressed position to prevent premature deployment of the anchor, plug, and filament, wherein when the clip is disengaged from the pin, the plunger is in a second non-depressed position.