Patent ID: 7731681

Claim:
A positioning system for guiding a medical device to a location where a pulmonary vein extends from an atrium, comprising: a transeptal sheath; a guiding introducer slidable within the transeptal sheath; a deflectable catheter having proximal and distal end portions, wherein the medical device is disposed along the distal end portion, and wherein the deflectable catheter is configured to be torquable and steerable; and a pullwire integrated within the deflectable catheter that is adapted to deflect at least a portion of the distal end portion such that the deflectable catheter may be advanced through the guiding introducer wherein the guiding introducer is pre-shaped to direct the catheter towards the pulmonary vein and the catheter is further directed into the pulmonary vein by manipulation of the pullwire along the proximal end portion.