Patent ID: 6994693

Claim:
An access system for providing access to a vessel, organ or body cavity through a subcutaneous tunnel, which comprises: a) a needle having a distal end and a proximal end, and b) a rigid or semi-rigid tunneler arranged coaxially around the needle and having a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end having a blunt shape for dissection of a subcutaneous tunnel, the distal end of the tunneler further having an opening to facilitate passing of the needle and the needle exits the opening at an oblique angle with respect to a plane in which the opening lies, and c) a guidewire shaped and dimensioned for passage through the needle, wherein the needle moves slidably within the tunneler, the needle proximal end has a gripping member for advancing the needle, which needle proximal end has a port for receiving the guidewire, and the tunneler proximal end has a gripping member.