Patent ID: 7618410

Claim:
A method for accessing a pericardial space comprising: providing a primary catheter having an elongated body, a central lumen extending along the body, an inflation lumen extending along the body and an inflatable balloon attached at a distal end portion of the body, such that an interior of the balloon communicates with the inflation lumen, the ballon having an exterior surface, the central lumen being exposed at a distal tip of the primary catheter; inserting the primary catheter into the vascular system; forwarding the primary catheter through the vascular system to position the distal end portion within an atrial appendage with the distal tip spaced from an apex of the atrial appendage; inflating the balloon to create a seal of the balloon exterior surface relative to an inner wall of the atrial appendage; and evacuating blood from a segregated interior space of the atrial appendage distal of the balloon seal.