Patent ID: 6074377
Filing Date: 2000-06-13
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
A method of implanting a vascular access device in the body of a patient comprising the steps of:forming a body access opening:providing a body access guide wire;inserting the body access guide wire into the body access opening and directing the body access guide wire to a preselected site in the patient;forming a tunnel between said body access opening and a tunnel opening remote from said body access opening;providing a tunnel guide wire;inserting the tunnel guide wire into one opening of the body access opening and the tunnel opening and directing the tunnel guide wire out of the body through the other opening of the body access opening and the tunnel opening;providing a tunnel sheath with a forward distal end and an enlarged diameter region toward a trailing end of the tunnel sheath;inserting the tunnel sheath into the tunnel opening;guiding the tunnel sheath along the tunnel guide wire until the distal end of the tunnel sheath exits from the body access opening and the enlarged diameter region is inserted through the tunnel opening;removing the tunnel guide wire from the patient;providing an elongated vascular access device having a delivery tube operatively coupled to a first end of the elongated vascular access device;inserting the delivery tube of the vascular access device into the open enlarged diameter region of the tunnel sheath;pushing the elongated vascular access device into the tunnel sheath so that the delivery tube exits from the body access opening and the elongated vascular access device is received through the tunnel opening;removing the tunnel sheath;providing a body access sheath;guiding the body access sheath down the body access guide wire to the preselected site in the patient;removing the body access guide wire;directing the delivery tube into the body access sheath to guide the delivery tube to the preselected site in the patient; andremoving the body access sheath.