APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR DELIVERING A CLOSURE DEVICE

摘要

An apparatus (10) for delivering a closure element into a puncture communicating with a blood vessel (90) includes an introducer sheath (12), and a locator member (14) disposed within the sheath, the locator member (14) having a distal portion extending distally beyond the distal end of the sheath. A plurality of splines (64) are provided on the distal portion of the locator member (14), the splines (64) being selectively expandable between an axial collapsed configuration and a transverse expanded configuration. An actuator (70) is coupled to the locator member (14) for controllably expanding the splines (64). A housing (24) is slidably disposed on the sheath for deploying a closure element, such as a vascular clip (26). The locator actuator (70) may automatically collapse the splines (64) upon advancement of the housing (24). Alternatively, the distal portion includes a helically wound wire (444) and a tether (450) coupled to the wire that is movable for causing the wire to buckle instead of the splines.