Patent ID: 7789887

Claim:
A method of extending a length of suture across a vessel opening prior to dilation of the vessel opening, comprising: positioning a vascular closure system over a first opening in a vessel, wherein the vascular closure system includes a guiding device, an expandable needle, and a hooking device; inserting the guiding device into the first opening in the vessel to align the vascular closure system in relation to the first opening; inserting the expandable needle into a second opening in the vessel in an extended state and then subsequently expanding the expandable needle into an expanded state; inserting the hooking device into a third opening in the vessel; hooking the expandable needle with the hooking device while the expandable needle is in the expanded state; and retracting the guiding device, expandable needle, and hooking device such that an internal suture pass is formed across the first opening in the vessel prior to dilating the first opening in the vessel and performing a medical procedure.