Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
144 words
A method for closing a wound in a wall of a vessel, comprising the steps of: a) mating a positioning tool with a plug comprising an elastic material; b) inserting the plug into a passageway of a sleeve such that a distal retainer of the plug is compressed in the passageway of the sleeve, the sleeve having a distal end extending through the vessel wall in the vessel; c) pushing the plug through the passageway of the sleeve with the positioning tool such that the distal retainer exits the distal end of the sleeve and expands in the vessel; and d) positioning the plug in the wound of the vessel wall, wherein the positioning step (d) comprises the step of pulling the expanded distal retainer against the distal end of the sleeve with the positioning tool to disengage the positioning tool from the plug.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
144 words
A method for closing a wound in a wall of a vessel, comprising the steps of: a) mating a positioning tool with a plug comprising an elastic material; b) inserting the plug into a passageway of a sleeve such that a distal retainer of the plug is compressed in the passageway of the sleeve, the sleeve having a distal end extending through the vessel wall in the vessel; c) pushing the plug through the passageway of the sleeve with the positioning tool such that the distal retainer exits the distal end of the sleeve and expands in the vessel; and d) positioning the plug in the wound of the vessel wall, wherein the positioning step (d) comprises the step of pulling the expanded distal retainer against the distal end of the sleeve with the positioning tool to disengage the positioning tool from the plug.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
71 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the positioning step (d) comprises the step of removing the sleeve from the vessel wall such that a proximal retainer of the plug expands to position the plug in the wound of the vessel wall with the distal retainer expanded in the vessel on an inner side of the vessel wall and with the proximal retainer expanded on an outer side of the vessel wall.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
75 words
The method of claim 2, wherein the plug comprises a waist coupling the distal retainer and the proximal retainer and wherein the plug is positioned to straddle the wound in the vessel wall with the waist positioned in the wound of the vessel wall, with a surface of the distal retainer facing the inner side of the vessel wall, and with a surface of the proximal retainer facing the outer side of the vessel wall.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 3, wherein the proximal retainer and the distal retainer are each generally circular in shape.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 4, wherein the proximal retainer has a diameter greater than that of the distal retainer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the pushing step (c) comprises the step of pushing the plug through the passageway of the sleeve with the positioning tool until a predetermined location of the positioning tool reaches a proximal end of the sleeve.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the mating step (a) comprises the step of making a knob at a distal end of the positioning tool with a socket of the plug.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the sleeve is a catheter sheath introducer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the plug comprises a biodegradable material.