초록 ▼

A method and apparatus for sealing a puncture or incision formed percutaneously in tissue separating two internal portions of the body of a living being with an anchor, a sealing plug and a filament connecting the anchor and sealing plug. The method and apparatus provide for disengagable automatic t

A method and apparatus for sealing a puncture or incision formed percutaneously in tissue separating two internal portions of the body of a living being with an anchor, a sealing plug and a filament connecting the anchor and sealing plug. The method and apparatus provide for disengagable automatic tamping and/or cinching of the sealing plug when the apparatus is withdrawn from the puncture site. The disengagable automatic tamping and/or cinching is facilitated by transducing a motive force generated by the withdrawal of the apparatus into a tamping and/or cinching force.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of sealing a tissue puncture in an internal tissue wall accessible through a percutaneous incision, comprising: withdrawing a closure device from the tissue puncture;automatically transducing a motive force generated by withdrawal of the closure device in a first direction to a cinching

1. A method of sealing a tissue puncture in an internal tissue wall accessible through a percutaneous incision, comprising: withdrawing a closure device from the tissue puncture;automatically transducing a motive force generated by withdrawal of the closure device in a first direction to a cinching or tamping force in a second direction;disabling the tamping force in the second direction by manually operating an actuator laterally with respect to at least one of the first and second directions. 2. A method of sealing a tissue puncture in an internal tissue wall accessible through a percutaneous incision according to claim 1, further comprising applying the cinching or tamping force in the second direction to a sealing plug. 3. A method of sealing a tissue puncture in an internal tissue wall accessible through a percutaneous incision according to claim 2, further comprising transferring the motive force to a rack that is slidingly disposed about a filament, the filament being connected to the sealing plug. 4. A method of sealing a tissue puncture in an internal tissue wall accessible through a percutaneous incision according to claim 3 wherein the transferring further comprises automatically unwinding the filament from a spool by deploying an anchor attached to the filament inside the tissue puncture, and withdrawing the closure device from the tissue puncture. 5. A method of sealing a tissue puncture in an internal tissue wall accessible through a percutaneous incision according to claim 4 wherein the transferring further comprises driving a gear train meshed with the rack and the spool via the unwinding. 6. A method of sealing a tissue puncture in an internal tissue wall accessible through a percutaneous incision according to claim 5, further comprising driving a tamping device with the rack to provide the tamping force to the sealing plug. 7. A method of sealing a tissue puncture in an internal tissue wall accessible through a percutaneous incision according to claim 5, wherein the manually disabling the tamping force in the second direction comprises disengaging at least one gear of the gear train. 8. A method of sealing a tissue puncture in an internal tissue wall accessible through a percutaneous incision according to claim 7, wherein the disengaging comprises axially displacing at least one gear out of contact with an adjacent gear. 9. A method of sealing a tissue puncture in an internal tissue wall accessible through a percutaneous incision according to claim 8 wherein the axially displacing comprises applying a force to an external actuator operatively connected to the at least one gear against an opposing biasing force. 10. A method of sealing a tissue puncture in an internal tissue wall accessible through a percutaneous incision according to claim 8, further comprising: releasing the rack from an interlock with the at least one gear prior to axially displacing the at least one gear. 11. A method of sealing a tissue puncture in an internal tissue wall accessible through a percutaneous incision according to claim 5, wherein the disabling comprises disconnecting the spool from the gear train. 12. A method of sealing a tissue puncture in an internal tissue wall accessible through a percutaneous incision, comprising: providing a tissue puncture closure device comprising a filament connected at its distal end to an anchor and to a sealing plug located proximal of the anchor for disposition and anchoring about the tissue puncture, the tissue puncture closure device also comprising an automatic tamping device;inserting the tissue puncture closure device into the percutaneous incision;deploying the anchor into the tissue puncture;at least partially withdrawing the closure device from the percutaneous incision;automatically tamping the sealing plug toward the anchor upon withdrawal of the closure device from the internal tissue wall puncture with the automatic tamping device;disengaging the automatic tamping device by operating an actuator laterally with respect to a direction of tamping the sealing plug toward the anchor;retracting the tissue puncture closure device;exposing the filament;cutting the filament;leaving the anchor and the sealing plug at the tissue puncture. 13. A method of sealing a tissue puncture in an internal tissue wall accessible through a percutaneous incision, comprising: withdrawing a closure device from the tissue puncture;automatically transducing a motive force generated by withdrawal of the closure device in a first direction to a cinching or tamping force in a second direction;manually disabling the tamping force in the second direction;wherein the manually disabling the tamping force in the second direction comprises disengaging at least one gear of a gear train. 14. A method of sealing a tissue puncture in an internal tissue wall accessible through a percutaneous incision according to claim 13, wherein the disengaging comprises axially displacing at least one gear out of contact with an adjacent gear. 15. A method of sealing a tissue puncture in an internal tissue wall accessible through a percutaneous incision according to claim 14 wherein the axially displacing comprises applying a force to an external actuator operatively connected to the at least one gear against an opposing biasing force. 16. A method of sealing a tissue puncture in an internal tissue wall accessible through a percutaneous incision according to claim 14, further comprising: releasing the rack from an interlock with the at least one gear prior to axially displacing the at least one gear.