Patent ID: 8308682

Claim:
A hole-making catheter for creating and dilating an opening within tissue, the catheter comprising; an elongate shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion, and at least one lumen extending through the proximal end; a nondistensible balloon having an interior in fluid communication with the lumen, the nondistensible balloon located on the distal portion of the elongate shaft; and an actuatable piercing member cooperatively affixed to the catheter and located at the distal portion of the elongate shaft, the piercing member being extendable distal to the distal portion of the elongate shaft to create an opening within tissue and wherein the piercing member is configured to be removed from the tissue opening prior to the distal portion of the elongate shaft entering the opening such that collateral damage to tissue is minimized when the elongate shaft is being advanced through tissue.