Patent ID: 6589164
Filing Date: 2003-07-08
Classification: A61B,A61M

Abstract:
A tissue penetrating catheter device useable, in conjunction with a separate imaging apparatus, to penetrate from the lumen of a patient's blood vessel, outwardly through the wall of that blood vessel, and to a target location within the patient's body, said tissue penetrating catheter device comprising:a) a flexible catheter body having i) a proximal end, ii) a distal portion that is insertable into the blood vessel, iii) a penetrator outlet formed in the distal portion, iv) an imaging apparatus inlet located proximal to the distal portion and v) an imaging lumen that extends from the imaging apparatus inlet into the distal portion of the catheter body, at least the portion of the imaging lumen located within the distal portion of the catheter body being sealed such that any microbial contamination introduced thereinto will not escape into the patients body when the distal portion of the catheter body is positioned within a blood vessel, vi) a penetrator passable out of the penetrator outlet, and vii) trajectory determining apparatus useable in conjunction with a separate imaging apparatus to determine the trajectory along which the penetrator will advance from the catheter body; and b) a generally tubular sterility barrier, one end of said sterility barrier being secured about the imaging apparatus inlet such that an elongate imaging apparatus may be passed through the tubular sterility barrier, through the imaging apparatus inlet and to an operative position within the imaging lumen to permit the imaging apparatus to be used to obtain an image of the penetrator and the target location.