Patent ID: 8585652

Claim:
A haemostatic valve assembly for an introducer, including a housing provided with first and second ends, each of the first and second ends including an opening, the openings providing for the passage of a device through the valve assembly; at least one flexible valve element disposed in the housing, the valve element including a lumen having an undulating form and extending between the openings of the first and second ends, the lumen being openable for the passage of a device therethrough and closable to seal the valve assembly, the closed lumen having an undulating form from the first end to the second end, the total length of the undulating lumen being greater than the length of the housing as measured along the longitudinal axis, the housing and the valve element forming a valve chamber therebetween, the valve chamber having a wall at least partly comprised of the housing; and a volume of pellets within the valve chamber, the pellets providing a biasing force on the valve element in a lumen closing configuration.