Patent ID: 8801691
Filing Date: 2014-08-12
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
1. A method of crossing an occlusion in a blood vessel, comprising: advancing a guidewire through a lumen of a blood vessel to a location proximal of an occlusion; advancing an exchange catheter over the guidewire to position a distal end of the exchange catheter proximal of the occlusion, the exchange catheter including a catheter body having a single contiguous lumen with a proximal portion through a proximal region of the catheter body and a distal portion through a distal region of the catheter body, the exchange catheter advancing over the guidewire with the guidewire within the single contiguous lumen; withdrawing the guidewire into the exchange catheter such that the guidewire is positioned within the proximal portion of the single contiguous lumen; advancing a cutting wire into and through the distal portion of the single contiguous lumen and out of the distal end of the exchange catheter with the guidewire located in the proximal region of the catheter body; and forming a passage through the occlusion with the cutting wire; wherein the single contiguous lumen is configured to accommodate the guidewire and the cutting wire simultaneously within the proximal portion of the single contiguous lumen and only accommodate one of the guidewire and the cutting wire at a time within the distal portion of the contiguous lumen.