Patent ID: 7374567

Claim:
A catheter system for piercing a first wall of a first blood vessel and a second wall of a second blood vessel to create a fistula between the blood vessels, the system comprising: a first catheter having a distal end insertable to a position wherein the distal end is adjacent a site within the first blood vessel for the fistula, the first catheter induding a magnetic piercing tool adjacent the distal end; a second catheter having a distal end insertable to a position wherein the distal end is adjacent a site within the second blood vessel for the fistula, the second catheter induding adjacent the distal end a receptor having a distal opening and a proximal end, the receptor further including a channel leading from the opening toward the proximal end wherein the entire channel of the receptor narrows in a direction from the opening toward the proximal end, and one or more magnets disposed on at least one of the catheters to draw the piercing tool into the channel of the receptor.