Vessel sealing device

A method of sealing an opening in the wall of a blood vessel, the blood vessel having an interior wall surface, exterior wall surface, and a lumen, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a seal assembly for sealing the opening in the blood vessel, the seal assembly operatively connected to an insertion device and comprising a first sealing element for placing inside the lumen of the blood vessel, a shaft continuously fixed in a predetermined configuration relative to the first sealing element, the shaft having a length sufficient to extend through the opening of the blood vessel and at least a portion of any overlying tissue, a flexible member surrounding at least a portion of the shaft adjacent the first sealing element, an outer floating element slidingly movable along the shaft, the outer floating element having a proximal surface and a distal surface, and a second sealing element, the second sealing element slidingly movable relative to the first sealing element along the shaft to engage the outer floating element and configured to position the distal surface of the outer floating element against the exterior wall surface and the flexible member against the interior wall surface of the blood vessel to seal the opening in the blood vessel;
• inserting a portion of the seal assembly into the lumen of the blood vessel;
• and
• retracting the seal assembly and insertion device until the first seal element and flexible member engages the interior wall surface of the blood vessel and causes the insertion device to automatically actuate thereby pushing the second sealing element and the outer floating element toward the exterior wall surface to position the outer floating element against the exterior surface and causing the shaft to break at a reduced portion disposed within the shaft.

A seal assembly for sealing an opening in the wall of a blood vessel, the blood vessel having an interior wall surface, exterior wall surface, and a lumen, the seal assembly comprising:

• a first sealing element for placing inside the lumen of the blood vessel;
• a shaft formed with the first sealing element in a predetermined configuration relative to the first sealing element, the shaft having a length sufficient to extend through the opening of the blood vessel and at least a portion of any overlying tissue;
• a flexible member surrounding at least a portion of the shaft adjacent the first sealing element;
• an outer floating element slidingly movable along the shaft, the outer floating element having a proximal surface and a distal surface;
• and
• a second sealing element, the second sealing element slidingly movable relative to the first sealing element along the shaft to engage the outer floating element and configured to position the distal surface of the outer floating element against the exterior wall surface and the flexible member against the interior wall surface of the blood vessel to seal the opening in the blood vessel,
• wherein the shaft has at least two sides, the at least two sides each having a groove along a portion thereof and the outer floating element has an aperture to receive the shaft therethrough, the aperture generally being rectangular and having two protrusions extending into the aperture and configured to engage the groove on a respective side of the shaft.