Patent ID: 8401673
Filing Date: 2013-03-19
Classification: A61B,A61M

Abstract:
1. A method of delivering a payload to a destination vessel branching from a coronary sinus of a patient's heart, comprising: inserting a catheter assembly into a right atrium of the patient's heart, the catheter assembly comprising: an outer catheter having an open lumen and a pre-formed distal end defined by a plurality of curved sections and a generally straight distal tip section, all of the curved sections in the pre-formed distal end being oriented so as to assume the same general direction of curvature, the generally straight distal tip section extending from a distal-most curved section in a direction defined by the curvature of the distal-most curved section; an inner catheter having an open lumen and a pre-formed distal end having an open distal tip, the pre-formed distal end including at least two adjacent longitudinal sections of varying stiffness and a stiffness transition region between the at least two adjacent longitudinal sections of varying stiffness, at least a portion of the inner catheter including a braid covered by an exterior jacket, the inner catheter movably disposed within the open lumen of the outer catheter, the pre-formed distal end of the inner catheter extendable beyond the preformed distal end of the outer catheter, the inner and outer catheters operable to be axially rotated and longitudinally translated relative to one another such that the distal end of the outer catheter can assume a selectable plurality of multi-dimensional shapes appropriate for accessing the coronary sinus; locating and cannulating the patient's coronary sinus by adjusting a relative orientation or longitudinal position of the inner catheter relative to the outer catheter such that one or both of a bend radius and a bend angle of the pre-formed distal end of the outer catheter is modified; longitudinally sliding the outer catheter over the distal end of the inner catheter to deep seat the outer catheter within the patient's coronary sinus; longitudinally sliding the inner catheter out of the proximal end of the catheter assembly to remove the inner catheter; and delivering a payload to the destination vessel through the outer catheter.