Purpose: To evaluate efficacy and safety of the percutaneous closure device Closer. Materials and methods: Between July 2002 and August 2003 forty-two arteries were closed by 6F percutaneous closure device Closer in 40 patients. They were 15 women and 25 men of average age 61 years (30 - 89 years). A retrograde access was closed in 29 arteries, procedures included 21 neurointerventions, 4 renal angioplasties and 4 iliac angioplasties. In one case it was a vertical puncture with a conversion from antegrade to retrograde way with femoral and iliac angioplasty. An antegrade access was closed in 12 arteries, 8 arteries with femoropopliteal subintimal recanalization, 4 ones with femoral angioplasties. Results: Deployment was successful in 92.9 % (39 arteries), hemostasis was achieved in the same percentage and in the same arteries. There were 3 device failures, 1 failure occured after retrograde puncture; it was the breakage of suture with calcified artery. Two failures happened after antegrade puncture due to groin scar and obesity. In folow-up 27 patients had Doppler ultrasound, 8 were just questioned and 6 patients were lost from records. The minor complications consisted of two groin haematomas and one case of pain. No major complications were found. Conclusion: Percutaneous arterial closure by 6F suturing device Closer is fast, simple and safe. Sutured-mediated closure alows the reduction of the hemostasis time, imobilization and hospitalization and the decrease of patient’s discomfort. The number of complications in interventional procedures does not get significantly higher.

        Key words: percutaneous artery closure - percutaneous closure device - Perclose - Closer