Abstract: Apparatus for sealing a puncture communicating with a blood vessel includes a bioabsorbable sealing member secured to one end of a filament or other retaining member. The sealing member is delivered through the puncture into the vessel, and retracted against the wall of the vessel to provide temporary hemostasis. The sealing member is rapidly absorbed after exposure within the vessel, e.g., to an aqueous or heated physiological environment (e.g., exposure to blood or body temperature), immediately or shortly after completing a medical procedure via the puncture, e.g., within the time period that the patient is ambulatory optionally, extravascular sealing material is delivered into the puncture proximal to the sealing member. The retaining member and/or extravascular material may be bioabsorbable, being absorbed at a slower rate than the sealing member. Alternatively, the filament is removed from the puncture after hemostasis is established.

Abstract: Apparatus for sealing a puncture communicating with a blood vessel includes a porous carrier formed from lyophilized hydrogel or other material. The plug may include at least first and second hydrogel precursors and a pH adjusting agent carried by the porous carrier in an unreactive state prior to exposure to an aqueous physiological environment. Once exposed to bodily fluids, the carrier expands as the lyophilized material hydrates to enhance and facilitate rapid hemostasis of the puncture. When the plug is placed into the puncture, the natural wetting of the plug by bodily fluids (e.g., blood) causes the first and second precursors to react and cross-link into an adhesive or “sticky” hydrogel that aids in retaining the plug in place within the puncture.

Abstract: Apparatus for delivering a sleeve into a puncture through tissue includes a tubular sheath including a lumen extending between its proximal end and an opening in its distal end. The sleeve includes a hub on a first end thereof disposed adjacent the distal end of the sheath, and a second end extending into the opening and lumen of the sheath. The hub is slidable along an exterior of the sheath for drawing the sleeve out of the opening and along an exterior of the sheath. During use, a guide wire is placed through the puncture into a blood vessel, and sealing compound is introduced into the puncture around the guide wire. The sheath is advanced into the puncture over the guidewire while maintaining the hub adjacent the patient's skin, causing the sleeve to be deployed from the sheath and line the puncture as the sheath is advanced into the puncture.

Abstract: Apparatus for sealing a puncture communicating with a blood vessel includes a pair of syringe barrels having sealing components therein, and a plunger assembly biased to slide within the barrels from proximal to distal positions for injecting the components through outlets of the barrels. An auto-injector assembly is coupled to the plunger apparatus, and includes a spring mechanism locked in an inactive condition and an actuator activatable to release the spring mechanism, whereupon the spring mechanism automatically advances the plunger assembly towards the distal position to inject the components from the barrels. A valve coupled to the outlets and movable from a first position for mixing and/or reconstituting the sealing components from vials, a second position where the outlets communicate with a delivery line for delivering the sealing components into a puncture, and a third position for closing the outlets.

Abstract: Apparatus for sealing a puncture communicating with a blood vessel includes an introducer sheath, an occlusion member with a balloon thereon, a retraction assembly, and a syringe assembly including sealing material therein. During use, the introducer sheath is introduced into the puncture. With the balloon in a collapsed state, the occlusion member is introduced through the introducer sheath until the balloon is disposed within the vessel. The introducer sheath is coupled to the retraction assembly, the balloon is expanded, and the occlusion member is partially withdrawn to seal the puncture. A sealing compound is delivered from the syringe assembly through the introducer sheath into the puncture, the syringe assembly triggering the retraction assembly, whereupon the introducer sheath is automatically withdrawn at least partially from the puncture, delivering the sealing compound along the puncture.