Apparatus and methods for sealing a vascular puncture

1. A method for sealing a puncture extending through tissue to a body lumen, the puncture having an introducer sheath therein, comprising:

providing an apparatus at least partially within the introducer sheath, wherein the apparatus includes (a) an elongate positioning member including proximal and distal ends, and (b) a cartridge slidable on the elongate positioning member, the cartridge including (i) a tubular member comprising a proximal end, a distal end including one or more slits, and a lumen extending between the tubular member proximal and distal ends, (ii) a sealant disposed within the tubular member lumen, (iii) an advancer member disposed within the tubular member lumen, and (iv) a sleeve slidably disposed over the one or more slits in the tubular member distal end;

advancing the distal end of the positioning member through a lumen of the introducer sheath until a positioning element thereon is disposed within the body lumen;

advancing the cartridge over the positioning member until the sleeve on the cartridge contacts a proximal end of the introducer sheath;

further advancing the cartridge to a distal position such that the cartridge distal end enters the introducer sheath lumen while the sleeve is stopped by the introducer sheath, the sleeve sliding over the tubular member to expose the tubular member distal end within the introducer sheath lumen; and

retracting the introducer sheath and tubular member at least partially from the puncture relative to the advancer member, thereby exposing the sealant via the one or more slits of the tubular member distal end within the puncture distally beyond the introducer sheath.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, before advancing the cartridge over the positioning member:

expanding the positioning element within the body lumen; and

retracting the positioning member until the expanded positioning element contacts a wall of the body lumen.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

collapsing the positioning element after retracting the introducer sheath and tubular member to expose the sealant within the puncture; and

withdrawing the positioning member from the puncture through the sealant and advancer member.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the advancer member is held substantially stationary while the positioning member is withdrawn from the puncture to prevent substantial proximal movement of the sealant.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising advancing the advancer member to compress the sealant within the puncture.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sleeve comprises a distal portion that enters a hub of the introducer sheath when the tubular member distal end is advanced into the introducer sheath lumen.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the introducer hub comprises a hemostatic valve, and wherein the sleeve distal portion at least partially opens the valve to accommodate the tubular member distal end being advanced into the introducer sheath lumen.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cartridge is advanced until the cartridge encounters a stop on the positioning member, thereby preventing further advancement of the cartridge and locating the sealant a predetermined distance from the positioning element.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein, when the cartridge is advanced to the distal position, cooperating elements on the advancer member and the positioning member prevent subsequent proximal movement of the advancer member relative to the positioning member when the introducer sheath and tubular member are retracted.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein after retracting the introducer sheath and tubular member to expose the sealant, advancing the advancer member to compress the sealant until the advancer member passes over another element on the positioning member that prevents subsequent proximal movement of the advancer member relative to the positioning member.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein a length of the sealant is less than a length of the one or more slits.