METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR ACCESSING AND TREATING BODY LUMENS

摘要

Access to blood vessels and other body lumens is provided from spaced-apart access penetrations. A penetrating device (10) is introduced through a first access penetration to a target site within the body lumen (27) and then used to penetrate outwardly from the body lumen to an external surface on an organ or the patient's skin. A guidewire (70) may then be deployed through the penetrating device, and the penetrating device removed to leave the guidewire in place. Catheters (12) and other interventional and diagnostic devices may then be introduced to the target site from either or both of the first and second access penetrations over the same guidewire.