Patent ID: 11918196
Assignee: nan
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 7:
8. A method comprising:
inserting a guide catheter through an external body passage of a subject, wherein the guide catheter is coupled to a handle and comprises a substantially rigid shaft, a proximal opening, a distal opening and a lumen extending between the proximal opening and the distal opening;
coupling a source of suction to a duct through the handle, wherein the handle has a suction opening between the duct and an exterior of the handle;
coupling a tube to a handle opening, the tube being coupled to an inflation device, wherein operation of the inflation device causes an inflation segment at a distal end of the lumen to inflate;
controlling a position of the guide catheter using the handle that is formed to allow the position of the guide catheter to be controlled by some or all of three fingers of a hand, while substantially simultaneously using a thumb or index finger of the hand to cause the inflation segment to move towards or away from the handle; and
controlling the position of the guide catheter using the handle, while substantially simultaneously controlling, by one of the thumb or index finger, an amount of suction by partially or completely covering the suction opening to redirect suction from the suction opening towards the guide catheter.