Apparatus and method for vascular hole closure

摘要

An apparatus and method are disclosed for applying a surgical clip to an exterior wall of a blood vessel to at least partially close a hole formed therein. The apparatus includes a handle portion, an elongated body extending distally from the handle portion and dimensioned to extend through a hole in the wall of a blood vessel, and a collapsible locator associated with a distal end portion of the elongated body and mounted for movement between a collapsed position and an expanded deployed position. The locator is adapted to expand within an interior lumen of the blood vessel to maintain the distal end portion of the elongated body in a desired location with respect to the hole in blood vessel wall such that a surgical clip releasably supported adjacent the distal end portion of the elongated body can be applied to the exterior wall of the blood vessel to close the hole formed therein.