Patent ID: 6190353
Filing Date: 2001-02-20
Classification: A61B,A61F,A61M

Abstract:
A catheter device that is positionable in a blood vessel and useable to penetrate through the wall of the blood vessel in which the catheter device is positioned and to a target location, said catheter device comprising:a flexible catheter body having a proximal end and a distal end and being capable of rotation within the blood vessel;a tissue-penetrating element passable from the catheter body for penetrating through the wall of the blood vessel in which the catheter device is positioned and to said target location, said tissue penetrating element comprising an elongate member having a substantially open lumen extending longitudinally therethrough such that a guidewire may be passed therethrough;an orientation element for determining at least the rotational orientation of the catheter body;an imaging apparatus which is usable in conjunction with said orientation element to facilitate aiming of the tissue penetrating element such that it will penetrate to the target location; anda housing located on at least a distal portion of the catheter body to house said imaging apparatus;wherein the imaging apparatus utilizes a form of energy to produce an image and wherein said housing is formed of a material which is at least partially impermeable to the energy utilized by the imaging apparatus, such that the portion of said housing that is permeable to the energy utilized by the imaging catheter forms a window to permit said imaging device to be utilized to observe the wall of the blood vessel in which the catheter is positioned relative to said target location.