Patent ID: 8377084

Claim:
A method of traversing an occlusion in a vessel, comprising the steps of: providing a catheter having a straightening sleeve and a steering sleeve which are slidably moveable relative to each other such that in a first position a distal end of the steering sleeve with a preset curvature at said distal end is straightened within the straightening sleeve and in a second position the steering sleeve extends distally past the straightening sleeve to expose at least a portion of the curved distal end; inserting the catheter into a patient's body to a deployment position while maintaining the distal end of the steering sleeve straightened within the straightening sleeve; inserting a guidewire having a normally straight configuration through a lumen of the steering sleeve after the catheter has been inserted to its deployment position; sliding the steering sleeve from its first position to its second position at the deployment position; using the steering sleeve and the guidewire positioned within the curved distal end of the steering sleeve to traverse the occlusion; using a first motion limiting structure to limit a range of relative linear movement between said straightening sleeve and said steering sleeve, said first motion limiting structure comprising a first set of opposing surfaces that define respective ends of a path of linear movement between said straightening sleeve and said steering sleeve, said first motion limiting structure allowing relative linear movement between said straightening sleeve and said steering sleeve within a limited range defined by said first set of opposing surfaces; and using a second motion limiting structure to limit a range of relative linear movement between said steering sleeve and said guidewire, said second motion limiting structure comprising a second set of opposing surfaces that define respective ends of a path of linear movement between said steering sleeve and said guidewire, said second motion limiting structure allowing relative linear movement between said steering sleeve and said guidewire within a limited range defined by said second set of opposing surfaces.