Patent ID: 6086548
Filing Date: 2000-07-11
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
A method of performing angioplasty on a patient's selected carotid artery comprising the steps of;a) placing an elongated positioning catheter having a lumen and proximal and distal end portions within a patient's body so that the distal end of the positioning catheter occupies a position within the patient's aorta next to the patient's selected carotid artery;b) wherein in step ""a"" the distal end of the positioning catheter has a curved portion and a distal tip;c) rotating and positioning the catheter until the distal tip enters the carotid artery;d) advancing a guide wire having a free end portion through the lumen of the positioning catheter from the proximal end to the distal end until the free end portion of the wire reaches the distal tip of the positioning catheter and the selected carotid artery;e) advancing a second catheter with a lumen over the positioning catheter, the second catheter having proximal and distal end portions, the distal end portion including a central section and a pair of opposed sections, with two bends forming respective connections between the central section and the opposed sections, the first bend having a smaller curvature and the second bend having a larger curvature; andf) wherein in step ""e"" the second curvature includes the central section and an opposed section that together form an obtuse angle.