Guiding tool for wound closure element

A guiding tool for controllable and reversible folding or deformation of a wound closure element (2) before insertion of said wound closure element into a percutaneous incision or puncture in the wall (4) of a vessel, duct, lumen or hollow organ in the body of a living being, said incision or puncture being smaller than said wound closure element in an unfolded or undeformed state, characterized by

• a body (20) having a distal end (26) and a proximal end (24) and a lumen (22) extending between said distal end and said proximal end;
• a wound closure element introduction opening (50) in the proximal end, and a wound closure element exit opening (52) in the distal end;
• said lumen having inner walls (54) provided with wound closure element guiding surfaces (56), adapted to reversibly reduce the spatial extension of a wound closure element during its passage through the guiding tool, such that said wound closure element is capable of passing through said incision or puncture, and such that it after passage through said incision or puncture assumes a shape that is capable of providing a sealing action against said incision or puncture.