Patent ID: 7625352

Claim:
An apparatus useful for inhibiting blood loss out a puncture site in a blood vessel wall and for indicating the location of a blood vessel comprising: a vent tube including a tubular shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen extending longitudinally between the proximal end and the distal end; and a control head on the distal end of the vent tube shaft, the control head including a proximal end portion, a distal end portion having a distal port, and a central portion between the proximal end portion and the distal end portion, the control head including a lumen extending from the distal port to the vent tube shaft lumen, the control head further comprising a hole extending laterally through the control head and communicating the control head lumen with the exterior of the control head, wherein the control head proximal end portion is externally tapered.