Patent ID: 8529514

Claim:
A cannula comprising: an elongated tubular body including a distal segment, the distal segment including a distal segment leading end face at a leading end of the distal segment and a distal segment proximal end, the distal segment including a first opening extending generally axially through the leading end face at the leading end of the distal segment and a third opening extending through the distal segment proximal end, and a proximal segment fluidicly coupled to the distal segment near the third opening, the proximal segment including a proximal segment proximal end and a second opening at a proximal segment proximal end, the proximal segment proximal end being for fluidicly coupling to a section of tubing; and a removable tubular sleeve extending through the third opening, within the tubular body at least from the third opening to the first opening, and through the first opening, the removable sleeve having a sleeve proximal end face including a sleeve proximal opening extending through the sleeve proximal end face and a sleeve leading end including a sleeve leading end face including a sleeve leading end hole extending through the sleeve leading end face, the removable tubular sleeve defining a sleeve interior lumen extending from the sleeve proximal opening to the sleeve leading end hole; wherein the removable tubular sleeve is one of substantially straight and slightly angled so as to facilitate guidance of the removable tubular sleeve along a guidewire, the removable tubular sleeve being adapted to receive the guidewire through the sleeve interior lumen; and wherein the first and third opening are spaced from each other by at most 6.35 centimeters.