Patent ID: 8523801

Claim:
A method for accessing an affected area of a lumen of a body of a living being for the facilitation of an intraluminal medical procedure, the method comprising: (a) providing a system comprising a first catheter, a catheter extension, and a control member; (i) wherein said first catheter comprises a proximal end, a distal end, and a channel therebetween; (ii) wherein said catheter extension comprises a proximal end and a distal end and a channel therebetween; (iii) wherein said control member is attached to at least the proximal end of said catheter extension and extending proximally therefrom, said control member further comprising at least a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end extending beyond said distal end of said catheter extension; (iv) wherein said catheter extension is slidably arranged within said first catheter, and further wherein said catheter extension and said first catheter together define a contiguous channel for aspiration of at least one of fluid and debris from said living beings; (v) wherein said contiguous aspiration channel that is defined by said first catheter is of a larger cross-sectional area than said contiguous aspiration channel defined by said catheter extension; (vi) wherein said catheter extension has a length that is less than that of said first catheter; and (vii) wherein said control member is arranged to cause axial movement of said catheter extension with respect to said first catheter in response to an application of axial force at the proximal end of said control member; (b) providing a guidewire and a vacuum source connected to said proximal end of said first catheter; (c) directing said guidewire to a place within the body undergoing the medical procedure; (d) placing the first catheter into the lumen along said guidewire; (e) using said control member, extending said distal end of said catheter extension out of said distal end of said first catheter to reach the affected area of the lumen while maintaining said proximal end of said catheter extension within said channel of said first catheter; and (f) aspirating at least one of fluid and debris from the affected area into said distal end of said catheter extension and into said channel of said first catheter, and depositing said at least one of fluid and debris at a collection point located outside of the body.