Patent ID: 8066730

Claim:
A method for penetrating and dilating an opening in a tissue of a brain of a patient using a dilating medical dilating system including a dilator device and a plurality of sleeves, wherein the dilator device includes an exterior surface having one or more depth indicators, a first end that is tapered and configured to penetrate and provide the opening in the tissue of the patient, and a second end, wherein the dilator device includes an interior wall that generally defines an open interior volume extending from an opening at the second end of the dilator device to one or more openings along a side portion of the tapered tip at the first end of the dilator device, wherein the dilator device is operable to allow a liquid to flow from one or more of the openings along the side portion of the tapered tip, through the open interior volume of the dilator device to the opening of the second end of the dilator device, and wherein each of the plurality of sleeves comprises an elongated shape with an exterior surface having one or more depth indicators, a first end, a second end, and an interior wall that generally defines an open interior volume substantially extending from an opening of the first end of the respective sleeve to the second end of the respective sleeve, the method comprising: positioning the dilator device in the tissue of the patient; adjusting a depth of penetration of the dilator device in the tissue using the depth indicators of the dilator device; positioning the interior wall of a first one of the plurality of sleeves substantially around the exterior surface of the dilator device; adjusting a depth of penetration of the first one of the plurality of sleeves in the tissue using the depth indicators of the first one of the plurality of sleeves; and allowing a liquid to flow from one or more of the openings along the side portion of the tapered tip of the dilator device, through the open interior volume of the dilator device to the opening of the second end of the dilator device.