SYSTEM AND PROCEDURE FOR PLACING A MEDICAL DEVICE PROXIMATE AN OSTIAL LESION USING A CATHETER ASSEMBLY

摘要

A catheter system and method 10 for placing a medical device proximate an ostial lesion. The catheter system 10 has a guide catheter 14 with a proximal end 16 and a distal end 18. A sheath 22 with an internal lumen 24 surrounds the guide catheter 14. The sheath 22 has a near end 26 and a far end 28. A cavity 32 is defined between the outside of the guide catheter 14 and the inside of the sheath 22. One or more longtitudinal connecting components 34 extend axially within the cavity with an actuating mechanism 38. An ostial locating member 42 extends from the far end 22 of the sheath so that the ostial locating member 42 lies outside the guide catheter 14. The ostial locating member 42 has at least two flexible, radially extending struts 44 that terminate with radio-opaque feet 46 that lie in an ostial plane 48 when they are advanced in a distal direction from outside the distal end 40 of the guide catheter 14 and against the interior wall of the aorta 50. The ostial locating member 42 permits placement of the radio-opaque feet 46 proximate to or in the ostial plane 48 when the ostial locating member 42 is advanced distally after the expandable distal legs 70 have been expanded radially outward beyond the distal end 18 of the guiding catheter 14.