Patent ID: 7758521

Claim:
A system for accessing a desired location through a tissue wall within a patient's body; comprising: an elongated fixation catheter having a fixation catheter lumen extending between proximal and distal fixation catheter lumen openings, a penetrable seal closing the distal fixation catheter lumen opening, and a distal tissue fixation mechanism, an elongated steerable fixation instrument adapted to engage the elongated fixation catheter and steer the guide catheter distal end to the tissue wall, the steerable fixation instrument enabling extension of the distal fixation mechanism into the tissue wall to engage and stabilize the tissue wall; an elongated penetration instrument comprising a guidewire having a tissue penetrating distal tip sized and adapted to be passed through the fixation catheter lumen, through the penetrable seal, and through the tissue wall, thereby creating a perforation through the tissue wall and into the desired location; and a therapeutic catheter having a therapeutic catheter lumen terminating in at least one distal therapeutic catheter lumen opening adapted to be advanced over the guidewire and through the fixation catheter lumen, through the penetrable seal, and through the tissue wall perforation to dispose the distal therapeutic catheter lumen opening in the desired location.