A system and method for closing a percutaneous vessel puncture at the conclusion of a vascular catheterization procedure includes placement of an intravascular closure device having a radially and axially expandable tubular membrane and a radially expandable anchor at the distal end of the membrane. The closure device is placed, by a delivery catheter extending through the puncture site, with its anchor radially expanded in a location upstream of the puncture site to enable the force of a patients blood flow to deploy the tubular membrane to a proximally extended configuration closing the puncture from within the vessel.
