Patent ID: 8728101

Claim:
An apparatus to be used in a vascular environment, comprising: an obturator configured to interface with a surface of tissue, the obturator including: a shaft having a distal end, a proximal end, and a groove longitudinally formed therein; a contact interface having a contact distal end and a contact proximal end formed at the distal end of the shaft; and a flange element protruding outwardly from the shaft, wherein the flange element has a distal surface, a proximal surface and an outer periphery, which extends between the distal and proximal surfaces, that is greater than an outer periphery of the shaft, wherein a groove formed in the flange element is in communication with the groove in the shaft, the groove in the flange element extending longitudinally through the distal surface and proximal surface of the flange element, wherein the groove in the flange element terminates at an edge of the contact proximal end of the contact interface, wherein the edge of the contact proximal end of the contact interface is adjacent to the distal surface of the flange element, and wherein the groove in the shaft is configured to guide one or more tips of a medical device longitudinally along the shaft, through the groove in the flange, and into a hole of a targeted region when the contact interface is configured to seat in the hole.