Patent ID: 8720065

Claim:
A method for inserting a medical device into a body vessel, comprising: providing an introducer device, comprising: a sheath body; a handle including at least one receiving section, the handle attached to a proximal end of the sheath body; a valve including a slit through a central portion and at least one anchoring member positioned in the at least one receiving section; a cap attached to the handle under pressure to compress at least a portion of the valve contacted by the cap, the valve having an original shape following attachment of the cap to the handle; and a dilator inserted through the sheath body, handle, and valve, the dilator having a distal end extending past a distal end of the sheath body, insertion of the dilator through the valve stretching the valve to a valve stretched shape; inserting at least the distal end of the dilator and distal end of the sheath body through an access site and into the body vessel; removing the dilator from the sheath body, removal of the dilator through the valve transitioning the valve from the valve stretched shape to a valve bunched shape; inserting the medical device into the body vessel; and wherein the at least one anchoring member of the provided valve includes a first anchoring member separated from a second anchoring member, wherein the at least one receiving section of the provided handle includes a first receiving section separated from a second receiving section, and wherein the first anchoring member is positioned in the first receiving section and the second anchoring member is positioned in the second receiving section.