Patent ID: 7695492

Claim:
An apparatus to locate a blood vessel puncture, comprising: an elongate member having first and second ends, the first end being substantially closed; a bleed back entrance port formed near the first end; a bleed back exit port formed near the second end; a lumen extending through the elongate member between said bleed back entrance port and said bleed back exit port, wherein said bleed back entrance port has a diameter substantially equal to or greater than a lumen diameter to form a flexible region in the elongate member adjacent the bleed back entrance port; and a finger positioned substantially opposite the bleed back entrance port and adapted to selectively extend radially outwardly from an exterior surface of the elongate member, the finger including a finger origin located near a center of the bleed back entrance port and a finger termination located substantially adjacent the bleed back entrance port and oriented toward the first end; wherein the elongate member comprises a recess area adjacent the bleed back entrance port defining a niche configured to assist insertion of a wall of the blood vessel into the bleed back entrance port.