Patent ID: 8096959

Claim:
A method of introducing a mapping/ablation catheter through a septum separating a first heart chamber from a second heart chamber for ablation and/or mapping of a heart wall of the second heart chamber, the method comprising the steps of: advancing a distal segment of a guide catheter into the first heart chamber, the guide catheter including an elongated guide catheter body extending between guide catheter proximal and distal ends, the catheter body enclosing a guide catheter lumen adapted to receive the mapping/ablation catheter and including a deployable retention mechanism; wherein the retention mechanism includes at least one flexible, pliant tine extending outwardly from a tine attachment with the distal segment of the guide catheter body to a tine free end, wherein the step of perforating and advancing includes advancing the distal segment of the guide catheter through the perforation in the septal wall such that the pliant tine is deflected inward toward the guide catheter body as the tine passes through the septal wall during passage through the perforation and extends outward when positioned in the second heart chamber; perforating the septal wall and advancing the distal segment of the guide catheter through the perforation and into the second heart chamber; deploying the retention mechanism into engagement against the septum within one or both of the first heart chamber and the second heart chamber when one of retraction force and advancement force is applied to the guide catheter to inhibit movement of the distal segment of the guide catheter through the septum; introducing the mapping/ablation catheter through the guide catheter for ablation and/or mapping of the heart wall of the second heart chamber; and applying traction to the guide catheter proximal end of sufficient force to bend over the flexible pliant tine and retract the guide catheter distal segment through the perforation in the septal wall.