Vessel access and closure assist system and method
A vessel access and closure assist system is used for accessing a vessel to perform a vascular intervention. The system facilitates the delivery of a vessel closure device onto a blood vessel for closing an opening in the wall of the blood vessel. The vessel access and closure assist system includes a procedural introducer sheath that directly couples to a vessel closure device delivery sheath such that the procedural introducer sheath does not have to be exchanged with the vessel closure device delivery sheath.
1. A method of treating an artery, comprising:
forming a sheath assembly by coupling a procedural introducer sheath to a vessel closure device delivery sheath, wherein the vessel closure device delivery sheath has an internal lumen for delivery of a vessel closure device onto a blood vessel, and wherein the procedural introducer sheath has an internal lumen for delivery of an interventional device into a blood vessel;
inserting the sheath assembly into an artery such that the sheath assembly provides a passageway into the artery;
inserting an intervention device into the artery via the passageway formed by the sheath assembly;
removing the intervention device from the artery;
uncoupling the procedural introducer sheath from the vessel closure device delivery sheath so that the procedural introducer sheath is removed from the artery while the vessel closure device delivery sheath remains in the artery;
inserting at least a portion of vessel closure device applier having an elongated delivery shaft into the internal lumen of the vessel closure device delivery sheath such that the elongated delivery shaft is positioned within the internal lumen of the vessel closure device delivery sheath, wherein the vessel closure device applier has a sharpened housing that contains a vessel closure device;
advancing the sharpened housing toward a distal tip of the elongated delivery shaft of the vessel closure device applier so that the sharpened housing tears the vessel closure device delivery sheath and advanced the vessel closure device toward a distal tip of the elongated delivery shaft of the vessel closure device applier.
2. A method as in claim 1 , wherein coupling a procedural introducer sheath to a vessel closure device delivery sheath comprises inserting the procedural introducer sheath into the lumen of the vessel closure device delivery sheath.
3. A method as in claim 1 , wherein coupling a procedural introducer sheath to a vessel closure device delivery sheath comprises inserting the vessel closure device delivery sheath into the lumen of the procedural introducer sheath.
4. A method as in claim 1 , further comprising immobilizing the procedural introducer sheath relative to the vessel closure device delivery sheath.
5. A method as in claim 1 , further comprising forming a direct puncture in a carotid artery of a patient.
6. A method as in claim 1 , wherein the artery is the common carotid artery.
7. A method as in claim 1 , further comprising splitting the vessel closure device delivery sheath as the vessel closure device is delivered to the artery.
8. A method as in claim 1 , wherein a distal end of the procedural sheath extends distally past a distal end of the vessel closure device delivery sheath when the procedural introducer sheath is coupled to the vessel closure device delivery sheath.