Patent ID: 9463314
Filing Date: 2016-10-11
CPC Classification: A61M,A61N

Claim Text:
1. A method for delivering an implantable medical electrical lead into the coronary vasculature of a patient via a catheter, the catheter including a delivery lumen, an inflation lumen, and a compliant sleeve member extending around an exterior surface of a shaft of the catheter such that an inflatable section of the sleeve is in fluid communication with the inflation lumen, the catheter having been advanced into a body of the patient such that a distal tip thereof canulates a coronary vein, the compliant sleeve member being located in proximity to the distal tip, and the distal tip surrounding a distal opening of the delivery lumen; and the method comprising: coupling an inflation fluid source to a connector port of the catheter, the connector port being formed in a handle portion of the catheter and in fluid communication with the inflation lumen; pressurizing the coupled inflation fluid source to inflate and maintain inflation of the inflatable section of the sleeve; injecting a radiopaque dye from a syringe, the syringe having a tip inserted into a proximal port portion of the catheter, the proximal port portion extending distally from a proximal opening of the delivery lumen; advancing a guide wire out through the distal opening of the delivery lumen and to a target site within the vasculature after, or while, injecting the dye, the guide wire having been advanced through the proximal port portion of the catheter alongside the inserted tip of the syringe; withdrawing the tip of the syringe from the proximal port portion, while leaving the advanced guide wire in place; advancing the lead over the advanced guide wire and through the proximal port portion and the delivery lumen of the catheter, with the inflation fluid source still coupled to the connector port; advancing the lead out through the distal opening of the delivery lumen and to the target site; and pressurizing again, or continuing to pressurize the inflation fluid source to maintain inflation of the inflatable section of the sleeve while advancing the lead out through the distal opening of the delivery lumen.