Importance

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Abstract

An introducer comprises a sheath, a guide rod, and at least one wire stabilization guide. The guide rod is sized to fit within the inside diameter of the sheath. The guide rod has at least one slot along its length for releasably holding the wire stabilization guide. One or more wire stabilization guides are coupled to the sheath. In one exemplary embodiment, the wire stabilization guides are inserted into a wound site and are dimensioned so as to cause an outward stretching force on the wound site. In another embodiment, the wire stabilization guides may form a loop, so that when the sheath is approximated to a wound site, the loop is approximated to tissue surrounding the wound site to hold the sheath approximately centered on the wound site. In other embodiments, the wire stabilization guides may include a retention device to hold the sheath approximate to the wound site.

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First Claim