Patent ID: 6932828

Claim:
A guidewire occlusion system for use in vascular procedures comprising: (a) a tubular guidewire assembly having an occlusive balloon proximate a distal end and an extended sealable section proximate a proximal end; (b) a gas inflation/evacuation system removably connectible to the proximal end of the tubular guidewire assembly, including: (1) means for evacuating the tubular guidewire assembly; and, (2) means for introducing a gas into the tubular guidewire assembly to inflate the occlusive balloon a plurality of times; and, (c) a sealing system removably connectible to the proximal end of the tubular guidewire assembly, including: (1) means for selectively sealing the tubular guidewire assembly by forming successive permanent airtight seals at separate locations along the extended sealable section to retain the gas in the occlusive balloon a plurality of times, wherein the diameter of the extended sealable section when sealed is no greater than the diameter of any other portion of the tubular guidewire assembly so that the tubular guidewire assembly may be used as a guidewire to introduce a catheter over the guidewire while gas is retained in the occlusive balloon.