Patent ID: 7278430

Claim:
An apparatus for occluding a blood vessel having a severed end and a lumen extending therefrom with a longitudinal axis, the apparatus comprising: an insertion device; and a plug for insertion along the longitudinal axis into the lumen of the blood vessel, the plug having a distal tip, a tapered outer surface extending from said distal tip, a large diameter section, an interior chamber with a rear opening proximally disposed from said distal tip, a plurality of spokes, and an attachment means, said plurality of spokes extending from said interior chamber and out said rear opening and radially outward, said attachment means disposed within said interior chamber of said plug, for attaching the plug to the insertion device, wherein when the plug is inserted axially into the lumen of the blood vessel adjacent its severed end said plug is sufficiently rigid in order to resist compressive forces applied thereto by the inner wall of the blood vessel such that the plug is gripped by compressive forces exerted by the elastic nature of the inner wall of the blood vessel and said distal tip, said tapered outer surface and said large diameter section together define a continuous occluding surface that occludes blood flow through the lumen of the blood vessel, and the insertion device having interface means that cooperates with the attachment means of the plug to attach the plug to the insertion device and means for applying an axial force from a proximal position relative to the rear opening of the plug and the severed end of the blood vessel to insert the plug into the lumen of the blood vessel adjacent its severed end.