Patent ID: 6159225
Filing Date: 2000-12-12
Classification: A61B,A61F,A61M

Abstract:
A catheter device for accessing a location within a patient, outside of the lumen of a blood vessel, said catheter device comprising:an elongate catheter body having a proximal end and a distal portion, the distal portion of said catheter body being transluminally insertable into the vasculature of a patient while the proximal end of the catheter body remains outside the body of the patient;a tissue penetrating member defining a guidewire lumen therein, the tissue penetrating member being passable from the distal portion of said catheter and adapted to extend beyond the lumen of the blood vessel in which said catheter is positioned; and,an orientation element which comprises (i) an imaging apparatus and (ii) an imageable marker, at least one of said imaging apparatus and imageable marker being located on the distal portion of said catheter body;said orientation element being useable by the operator to guide the positioning of the catheter body within the vasculature of the patient such that, when the tissue penetrating member is passed from the distal portion of the catheter body it will penetrate through the wall of the blood vessel and to said location.