Importance

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Abstract

An introducer for use in interventional vascular procedures having a sealing mechanism for closure of a puncture site is disclosed. The introducer has a vessel-engaging component and a sealing component thereon. The vessel-engaging component comprises an elongated filament engaged within a channel in the wall of the introducer. The filament has an expandable part that is changeable from a first configuration to a second, expanded configuration. When the distal end of the introducer is inserted into the lumen of a blood vessel, the expandable part may be inflated. Pulling the introducer through the puncture in a direction opposite the vessel then causes the expandable member to be engaged on the vessel wall at the location of the puncture to provide resistance in pulling the introducer away from the blood vessel. In this way, the vessel-engaging component locates the puncture site. The sealing component comprises an applicator and a plurality of rings comprised of thrombogenic materials such as collagen on the wall of the introducer. The applicator is used to position the rings at the puncture site once it is located with the vessel-engaging component.

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First Claim