# US 7,611,479 B2 · System and method for facilitating hemostasis of blood vessel punctures with absorbable sponge

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- Number: US 7,611,479 B2
- Document ID: US7611479B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 10/319,260
- Filed: 2002-12-13
- Published: 2003-05-08
- Granted: 2009-11-03
- Earliest claimed: 1998-05-01
- Assignees: Sub-Q, Inc.
- Inventors: Andrew M. Cragg; Rodney Brenneman; Mark Ashby; Eduardo Chi Sing
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7611479B2

## 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)}
- A61F 13/26: Means for inserting tampons {, i.e. applicators}
- A61B 2017/00004: {(bio)absorbable, (bio)resorbable or resorptive}
- A61B 2017/00362: {Packages or dispensers for MIS instruments (A61B2017/0479 takes precedence)}
- A61B 2017/00407: {Ratchet means}
- A61B 2017/00637: {for sealing trocar wounds through abdominal wall}
- A61B 2017/00654: {entirely comprised between the two sides of the opening}
- A61B 2017/00898: {expandable upon contact with fluid}
- A61F 2013/00463: {haemostatic}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)

## Abstract

A system for facilitating hemostasis of a puncture site in a blood vessel injects an absorbable sponge pledget in a hydrated state to a position at an exterior of the blood vessel puncture to facilitate hemostasis. The system includes a tract dilator for locating the puncture, an introducer, and a pusher. The introducer includes a staging chamber for receiving the absorbent sponge pledget and a delivery chamber having a diameter smaller than a diameter of the staging chamber into which a hydrated pledget passes. The pledget is hydrated and compressed within the introducer and then ejected with the pusher to the delivery site to facilitate hemostasis of the blood vessel puncture. The system delivers the absorbable sponge pledget over a guidewire to ensure the proper positioning of the pledget over the puncture. The implanted absorbable sponge once delivered expands rapidly to fill the target site and is absorbed by the body over time.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for facilitating hemostasis of a puncture in the wall of a blood vessel, the method comprising:
establishing a depth of a blood vessel puncture of a patient;
loading an introducer with a sponge pledget by hydrating and compressing the pledget;
loading the introducer over a guidewire positioned in the blood vessel by inserting the guidewire though the hydrated and compressed pledget; and
ejecting at least a portion of the pledget adjacent the blood vessel puncture to facilitate hemostasis.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method for facilitating hemostasis of a puncture in the wall of a blood vessel according to claim 1, wherein the step of establishing a depth of a blood vessel puncture is performed by introducing the introducer into a tissue tract until a distal end of the introducer abuts an exterior of the blood vessel wall and marking the depth of the blood vessel with a depth indicator on the introducer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method for facilitating hemostasis of a puncture in the wall of a blood vessel according to claim 1, wherein the pledget is hydrated in a staging chamber of the introducer, and the staging chamber of the introducer is connected to a delivery chamber of the introducer for delivery of the pledget to the delivery chamber.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method for facilitating hemostasis of a puncture in the wall of a blood vessel according to claim 1, wherein the introducer is advanced over the guidewire to an exterior of the blood vessel through a sheath.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method for facilitating hemostasis of a puncture in a wall of a blood vessel according to claim 4, wherein the step of establishing a depth of the blood vessel puncture is performed by inserting the sheath with a removable dilator inside the sheath.