Medical sealing device

1. A medical sealing device for sealing a hole in a wall of a body organ, comprising:

an inner member adapted to be positioned against an interior surface of the wall;

a retaining member attached to the inner member; and

an outer member adapted to be positioned outside the wall, the outer member having a hole through which the retaining member passes;

wherein the retaining member includes a hollow portion within the retaining member;

wherein the retaining member comprises a shape memory polymer, wherein the shape memory polymer is located in the hollow portion such that the shape memory polymer is enclosed within the retaining member; and

wherein in a first state, the outer member is slidably attached to the retaining member and in a second state, a cross-sectional dimension of the retaining member changes in comparison to the first state such that the outer member is fixedly attached to the retaining member due to a change in shape of the shape memory polymer;

wherein the shape memory polymer is enclosed within the retaining member such that the shape memory polymer is located in the hollow portion while the medical sealing device is in the first state and before delivery of the medical sealing device to the hole in the wall of the body organ;

wherein the shape memory polymer is positioned within the hollow portion of the retaining member such that at least a portion of the shape memory polymer is located within the hole of the outer member when the medical sealing device is in the second state.

2. A medical sealing device according to claim 1 , wherein the retaining member has a first shape at a temperature below a transition temperature and a second shape above the transition temperature.

3. A medical sealing device according to claim 2 , wherein the retaining member has a first diameter below the transition temperature and a second diameter above the transition temperature, and wherein the second diameter is larger than the first diameter.

4. A medical sealing device according to claim 2 , wherein the outer member is provided with the hole, which has a first diameter below the transition temperature and a second diameter above the transition temperature, and wherein the second diameter is smaller than the first diameter.

5. A medical sealing device according to claim 2 , wherein the inner member has a first side which is adapted to abut the interior surface of the wall of the body organ, and wherein the first side is essentially planar at a temperature below the transition temperature and is concave at a temperature above the transition temperature.

6. A medical sealing device according to claim 2 , wherein the outer member has a first side which is adapted to abut an outer side of the wall of the body organ, and wherein the first side is essentially planar at a temperature below the transition temperature and is concave at a temperature above the transition temperature.

7. A medical sealing device according to claim 1 , wherein the body organ is an artery, and wherein:

the inner member is adapted to be positioned against an interior surface of the wall of the artery; and

the outer member is adapted to be positioned outside the wall of the artery.

8. A medical sealing device according to claim 1 , wherein the shape memory polymer is an expanding spiral element.

9. A medical sealing device according to claim 8 , wherein a diameter of the expanding spiral element increases at a temperature above a transition temperature of the shape memory polymer.

10. A medical sealing device according to claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the shape memory polymer increases at a temperature above a transition temperature of the shape memory polymer.

11. A medical sealing device according to claim 1 , wherein the shape memory polymer is completely contained within the hollow portion.