Tool, a sealing device, a system and a method for closing a wound

Abstract

A tool (101) is provided for inserting and mating two plug members (2, 3) of a sealing device (1) for closing a wound in the wall of a vessel by placing the distal plug member (2) of the sealing device inside the vessel and the proximal plug member (3) on the outside of the vessel. The distal plug member is provided with an elongated retracting means (6) extending from the distal plug member. The tool comprises a gear mechanism (32) coupled to the retracting means for converting a movement of the tool in a proximal direction away from the wound (22), when the distal plug member is anchored in the vessel (20), to a pushing movement for moving the proximal plug member in a direction towards the distal plug member in response to a stretching force in the retracting means.

Description

SCOPE OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to medical devices, and more specifically to a system for introducing a flexible two-piece wound closure plug in a punctured vessel of a human or animal body.PRIOR ART[0002]A sealing device for sealing an arterial puncture is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,350,399 to Erlebacher et al. A first closure member, that is resiliently expandable into a circular disc shape, is positioned within a punctured vessel. A second closure member, also being resiliently expandable into a circular disc shape, is movably fitted onto a guide means being integrally formed with the first closure member. The guide means has a saw tooth shape to hold the second closure member. The guide means also acts as a retracting means, i.e. a means for holding the first closure means towards the wound edge, when the first and second closure members are mated.[0003]A tool for mating said first and second closure members is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,350,39...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013]In a first aspect, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tool for a simple and safe securing of a two-piece wound closing plug around the edge of a puncture wound in a vessel in a human or animal body, thereby obstructing blood leakage through the wound.

[0019]Since the retracting means is separate from the distal plug member the distal plug member has an improved flexibility within the artery to adapt to the inner artery wall. At the same time, simplified manufacturing of the distal plug member is obtained.

[0020]In a third aspect of the present invention, it is an object to provide a simple and safe method for closing a puncture wound in a vessel.

[0022]According to the method of the invention, a two-piece plug is inserted into the wound with a specially designed tool. A lever is pushed against the wound to push out the distal plug member of the two-piece plug into the vessel. Then, by simply drawing the tool away from the wound the proximal plug member is pushed out of the tool, the plug members are compressed to form a closure plug that encloses the wound edge in a safe grip and finally the tool is completely removed from the wound to leave only a retracting means (such as a suture) attached to the closure plug. The retracting means is easily cut to a desired length.

Problems solved by technology

This limits the possibilities to manipulate the intra-arterial closure member with a tool.

Furthermore, tools presently known are complicated to handle in that they require numerous different grips to perform the closing of the wound.

A misplaced closure plug is difficult to remove, and could even call for surgery.

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