Patent ID: 8568416

Claim:
A method of treating a patient, the method comprising: advancing a distal end of a guidewire into the patient's body from a first site, advancing adjacent to a target tissue, and out of the body from a second site, while maintaining a proximal end of the guidewire outside the body at the first site; coupling an end of the guidewire on or near a distal end of a first surgical device outside of the body by inserting the end of the guidewire into a channel at or near the distal end of the first surgical device; pulling the guidewire to guide the first surgical device adjacent to the target tissue; and withdrawing the first surgical device and end of the guidewire from the patient while maintaining the guidewire within the body and de-coupling the end of the guidewire from the surgical device; coupling the end of the guidewire on or near a distal end of a second surgical device outside of the body by inserting the end of the guidewire into a channel at or near the distal end of the second surgical device.