Patent ID: 7763008

Claim:
A method for delivering a catheter to a body cavity of a patient using a drainage catheter assembly, said method comprising: (a) providing a pre-assembled drainage catheter assembly by connecting a trocar, a cannula, a catheter stiffener, and a catheter; where in a pre-assembled state, a distal end of said catheter and a distal end of said catheter stiffener are configured to terminate proximally relative to a distal end of said cannula and a distal end of said trocar; (b) inserting said trocar and said cannula into a body cavity; (c) disconnecting and slideably removing said trocar from the drainage catheter assembly and out of the body cavity; (d) disconnecting said catheter from said cannula and slideably inserting said catheter and said catheter stiffener as a set unit over said cannula and into the body cavity; (e) disconnecting said catheter from said catheter stiffener and slideably advancing said catheter into a fluid collection of the body cavity; and (f) slideably removing said cannula and said catheter stiffener from the drainage catheter assembly and out of the body cavity.