Patent ID: 8206415

Claim:
An apparatus for substantially closing a vascular opening in a vessel while permitting post operative blood flow through said vessel, which comprises: a housing having proximal and distal ends, and defining a longitudinal axis; an elongated shaft at least partially positioned within the housing, the elongated shaft defining a longitudinal axis and including a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen extending between the proximal and distal ends, the lumen being configured and dimensioned to receive a prepositioned guidewire such that the apparatus is movable along the guidewire, the elongated shaft further including recesses disposed in spaced relation to the distal end; tissue engaging members disposed adjacent the distal end of the housing, the tissue engaging members being adapted for longitudinal movement relative to the elongated shaft to selectively engage vascular tissue positioned adjacent the vascular opening such that the vascular tissue is oriented in a predetermined orientation; and jaw members connected to the housing and positioned adjacent the tissue engaging members, the jaw members being movable between an open position and a closed position independently of movement of the tissue engaging members, wherein, in the open position, the jaw members are configured and dimensioned to seize said vascular tissue when in the predetermined orientation, the jaw members drawing together the vascular tissue during movement from the open position to the closed position, and rendering the vascular tissue in adjacent relation when in the closed position, the jaw members including tissue contacting surfaces the free ends of which depend radially inwardly therefrom towards the longitudinal axis, the tissue contacting surfaces being configured and dimensioned to engage the tissue adjacent the vascular opening, the tissue contacting surfaces being further configured and dimensioned for receipt by the recesses disposed in spaced relation to the distal end of the elongated shaft.