Patent ID: 8617103

Claim:
A catheter comprising an elongate shaft, a distal tip having a longitudinal axis, and a lumen extending proximally along the shaft from the distal tip and configured to receive a guidewire, a first distal end of the distal tip being oriented at a first angle other than 90 degrees to the longitudinal axis of the distal tip, a second distal end of the distal tip being oriented at a second angle other than 90 degrees to the longitudinal axis of the distal tip, the second distal end of the distal tip being adjacent to the first distal end of the distal tip, the second distal end of the distal tip being proximal of the first distal end of the distal tip, and the second angle being less than the first angle, wherein the first and second distal ends of the distal tip together define a unitary distal opening to the lumen through which a guidewire can be backloaded into the lumen, wherein the distal opening extends through both the first and second distal ends of the distal tip to the lumen such that the distal opening has a first portion defined by the first distal end and oriented at the first angle, and a second portion defined by the second distal end and oriented at the second angle.