APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DEPLOYING A GUIDEWIRE ACROSS A COMPLEX LESION

摘要

This invention is an apparatus (21) for deploying a guidewire (26) across a complex lesion in a vessel formed by a wall, and normally having a lumen extending therethrough; including an elongate flexible catheter (22) having proximal, distal extremities (37, 38), and a plurality of separate spaced apart lumens (41, 42, 43) therein extending from the proximal extremity into a location at least adjacent the distal extremity. A handle (71) is mounted on the proximal extremity of the catheter. A flexible elongated sheath (23) is mounted on the catheter, having a proximal portion (52), a transition portion (53), and a distal portion (54), with the transition portion being in the vicinity of the distal extremity of the catheter. The sheath has a lumen (66) therein extending from the proximal portion through the transition portion, and distal portion. First, and second devices (24, 26) are slidably mounted in the lumens of the catheter. The lumen in the sheath is of a size to accommodate only one of the devices at a time.