# US 2014/0194924 A1 · Vascular closure device with improved side loading > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0194924 A1 - Document ID: US20140194924A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/787,069 - Filed: 2013-03-06 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-04 - Assignees: St. Jude Medical Puerto Rico LLC - Applicants: St. Jude Medical Puerto Rico LLC - Inventors: Zachary J. Tegels - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140194924A1 ## CPC - A61B 17/0057: {Implements for plugging an opening in the wall of a hollow or tubular organ, e.g. for sealing a vessel puncture or closing a cardiac septal defect (sutures A61B17/04; closing rectum or urethra near body surface A61F2/0009)} - A61B 2017/00623: {Introducing or retrieving devices therefor} - A61B 2017/00654: {entirely comprised between the two sides of the opening} - A61B 2017/00898: {expandable upon contact with fluid} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract A tissue puncture closure device includes a vessel locator and a sealing plug delivery member. The vessel locator includes an expandable member. The sealing plug delivery member includes a carrier tube, a sealing plug, and a locking member. The carrier tube includes a distal end and a side opening, the side opening extending proximally from the distal end along at least a portion of a length of the carrier tube to provide lateral insertion of the vessel locator into an interior of the carrier tube. The sealing plug includes a lumen and a slot extending from a distal end to a proximal end of the sealing plug, wherein the slot provides lateral access of the vessel locator into the lumen. The locking member is operable to retain the vessel locator within the sealing plug delivery member. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tissue puncture closure device, comprising: a vessel locator comprising an expandable member; a sealing plug delivery member, comprising: a carrier tube having a distal end and a side opening, the side opening extending proximally from the distal end along at least a portion of a length of the carrier tube to provide lateral insertion of the vessel locator into an interior of the carrier tube; a sealing plug having a lumen and a slot extending from a distal end to a proximal end of the sealing plug, the slot providing lateral access of the vessel locator into the lumen; a locking member operable to retain the vessel locator within the sealing plug delivery member. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tissue puncture closure device of claim 1, wherein the sealing plug delivery member further comprises an actuator operable to deposit the sealing plug adjacent to a vessel puncture to seal the vessel puncture, wherein the actuator retracts the carrier tube relative to the sealing plug to deposit the sealing plug adjacent to the vessel puncture. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The tissue puncture closure device of claim 1, wherein the sealing plug delivery member further comprises an actuator operable to deposit the sealing plug adjacent to a vessel puncture to seal the vessel puncture, wherein the actuator advances the sealing plug out of the carrier tube to deposit the sealing plug adjacent to the vessel puncture. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The tissue puncture closure device of claim 1, wherein the locking member rotates between a first position covering at least a portion of one of the side opening of the carrier tube and the slot of the sealing plug, and a second position removed from covering the side opening and slot. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The tissue puncture closure device of claim 1, wherein the locking member includes a deflectable member position at the side opening. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The tissue puncture closure device of claim 1, wherein the side opening and slot are aligned radially. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The tissue puncture closure device of claim 1, wherein the slot has a non-linear shape along a length of the sealing plug. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The tissue puncture closure device of claim 1, wherein the slot has a helical shape along a length of the sealing plug. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The tissue puncture closure device of claim 1, wherein the slot extends diagonally along a length of the sealing plug. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The tissue puncture closure device of claim 1, wherein the locking member includes a one-way opening. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The tissue puncture closure device of claim 1, wherein the locking member is positioned at the distal end of the carrier tube. ### Claim 12 A tissue puncture closure device adapted for insertion into and sealing of a tissue puncture in a tissue wall, the tissue puncture closure device comprising: a sealing plug delivery member, comprising: a carrier tube having a tube slot extending through a sidewall of the carrier tube and extending proximally from a distal end of the carrier tube; a sealing plug positioned in the carrier tube and having a lumen and a plug slot extending through a sidewall of the sealing plug, the plug slot extending along a length of the sealing plug and at least a portion thereof being aligned radially with the tube slot; a locking member controlling passage of an elongate locator member through the tube slot; a placement member positioned in the carrier tube at a location proximal of the sealing plug, the placement member operable to position the sealing plug adjacent to the tissue puncture. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The tissue puncture closure device of claim 12, wherein the plug slot has a non-linear shape. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The tissue puncture closure device of claim 12, wherein the sealing plug is cylindrical shaped with a circular cross-section. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The tissue puncture closure device of claim 12, wherein the locking member includes a sleeve positioned on the carrier tube, the sleeve being rotatable between locked and unlocked positions. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The tissue puncture closure device of claim 12, wherein the locking member includes a flexible tab positioned within the tube slot at a distal end portion of the carrier tube. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The tissue puncture closure device of claim 12, wherein the sealing plug delivery member further comprises an actuator operable to retract the carrier tube relative to the sealing plug. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The tissue puncture closure device of claim 12, wherein the sealing plug is rotatable within the carrier tube as the elongate locator member is inserted into the plug slot. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The tissue puncture closure device of claim 12, wherein the tube slot terminates distal of a proximal end of the carrier tube. ### Claim 20 A method of sealing a vessel puncture in a wall of a vessel that is accessible through a percutaneous incision, the method comprising: providing a closure device and a vessel locator, the closure device including a sealing plug and a carrier tube, the carrier tube including a tube slot formed in a sidewall thereof, and the sealing plug including a plug slot formed in a sidewall thereof, the sealing plug being positioned in the carrier tube; advancing the vessel locator through the percutaneous incision and into the vessel puncture; anchoring the vessel locator within the vessel; laterally inserting the vessel locator through the tube slot and the plug slot; advancing the closure device along the vessel locator to the vessel puncture; depositing the sealing plug adjacent to the vessel puncture to seal the vessel puncture. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein the closure device includes a locking member, the method comprising operating the locking member to retain the vessel locator within the carrier tube. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein operating the locking member includes rotating the locking member relative to the carrier tube. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein operating the locking member includes providing a one-way opening into the tube slot to restrict removal of the vessel locator from the carrier tube. ### Claim 24 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein the plug slot has a non-linear shape along a length of the sealing plug, and laterally inserting the vessel locator includes rotating the sealing plug relative to the carrier tube.