Patent ID: 7918870
Filing Date: 2011-04-05
Classification: A61B,A61M

Abstract:
1. A method of facilitating treatment of a blood vessel, the blood vessel comprising a vascular wall defining a plurality of layers and a vascular lumen containing an occlusion therein, the plurality of layers including at least an outermost layer and an innermost layer, the innermost layer having an interior surface, the interior surface being located on a side of the innermost layer nearest a center of the vessel, the method comprising: inserting a catheter into the blood vessel, the catheter having a balloon at a distal end, an inflation lumen in communication with the balloon, and a subintimal device lumen that is configured to receive a subintimal device; expanding the balloon to cause an opening of the subintimal device lumen to be directed toward the vascular wall, wherein a distance remains between all expanding surfaces of the balloon and the interior surface of the innermost layer of the vascular wall when: inserting a distal portion of the subintimal device in the subintimal device lumen of the catheter; and advancing the distal portion of the subintimal device through less than all of the plurality of layers of the vascular wall.