Dual wire placement catheter

Abstract

Disclosed is a dual lumen access catheter, for facilitating placement of two procedure wires across a treatment site. In one application, the catheter is used to place a first wire extending between a contralateral iliac and an ipsilateral iliac across the terminal bifurcation of the aorta, and a second wire extending through a portion of the ipsilateral iliac and into the aorta. Methods of placing the wires, such as for subsequent deployment of an abdominal aortic aneurysm bifurcation graft, are also disclosed.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A multilumen catheter, comprising: 
 an elongate, flexible tubular body, having a proximal end and a distal end;    a first lumen extending throughout the length of the tubular body, between the proximal end and the distal end; and    a second lumen extending between a proximal port and a distal port;    wherein at least the distal port is spaced proximally apart from the distal end.    
     
     
         2 . A multilumen catheter as in  claim 1 , further comprising an axially extending tear line in the wall defining the second lumen.  
     
     
         3 . A multilumen catheter as in  claim 2 , wherein the tear line comprises a perforation line.  
     
     
         4 . A multilumen catheter as in  claim 2 , wherein the second lumen is defined within a wall, and the tear line comprises a reduced thickness in the wall.  
     
     
         5 . A multilumen catheter as in  claim 4 , wherein the tear line comprises an axially extending recess in the wall.  
     
     
         6 . A multilumen catheter as in  claim 5 , wherein the recess extends radially outwardly from an interior surface of the wall.  
     
     
         7 . A multilumen catheter as in  claim 1 , wherein the distal port is spaced proximally apart from the distal end by at least about 2 cm.  
     
     
         8 . A multilumen catheter as in  claim 1 , further comprising an axially extending slit in the wall of the second lumen.  
     
     
         9 . A multilumen catheter as in  claim 1 , wherein the length of the second lumen is within the range of from about 20% to about 60% of the length of the catheter.  
     
     
         10 . A method of positioning a first wire through a portion of the ipsilateral iliac, across the bifurcation of the aorta and through a portion of the contralateral iliac, and a second wire through the portion of the ipsilateral iliac and into the aorta, comprising the steps of: 
 introducing a catheter through a first access site and into a first iliac, the catheter having at least first and second lumens;    advancing the catheter superiorly to the bifurcation of the aorta and inferiorly down a second iliac to a second access site;    introducing a first wire through the first lumen and between the first access site and-the second access site;    introducing a second wire through the second lumen superiorly through the ipsilateral iliac and into the aorta; and    removing the catheter, while leaving the first and second wires in place.    
     
     
         11 . A method as in  claim 10 , wherein the removing step comprises tearing the wall of the second lumen in response to proximal retraction of the catheter.  
     
     
         12 . A method as in  claim 10 , wherein the advancing the catheter step comprises advancing the catheter along a third wire.  
     
     
         13 . A method as in  claim 10 , wherein the first wire comprises a release wire for releasing the contralateral iliac branch of a bifurcation graft from a constrained configuration to an expanded configuration.  
     
     
         14 . A method as in  claim 10 , further comprising the step of introducing a bifurcation graft delivery catheter into the aorta along the second wire.  
     
     
         15 . A method of transluminally deploying a bifurcation graft at the bifurcation of the aorta into the ipsilateral and contralateral iliacs, comprising the steps of: 
 introducing a catheter through a first access site and into the ipsilateral iliac, the catheter having at least first and second lumens;    advancing the catheter superiorly to the bifurcation of the aorta and inferiorly down the contralateral iliac to a second access site;    introducing a first wire through the first lumen from the first access site through the second access site;    introducing a second wire through the second lumen from the first access site superiorly through the ipsilateral iliac and into the aorta; and    removing the catheter, while leaving the first and second wires in place.    
     
     
         16 . A method of transluminally deploying a bifurcation graft at the bifurcation of the aorta into the ipsilateral and contralateral iliacs, comprising the steps of: 
 introducing a catheter through a first access site and into the contralateral iliac, the catheter having at least first and, second lumens;    advancing the catheter superiorly to the bifurcation of the aorta and inferiorly down the ipsilateral iliac to a second access site;    introducing a first wire through the first lumen between the first access site and the second access site;    introducing a second wire through the second lumen from the second access site superiorly through the ipsilateral iliac and into the aorta; and    removing the catheter, while leaving the first and second wires in place.    
     
     
         17 . A method as in  claim 16 , wherein the removing step comprises tearing the wall of the second lumen in response to proximal retraction of the catheter.  
     
     
         18 . A method as in  claim 16 , wherein the advancing the catheter step comprises advancing the catheter along a third wire.  
     
     
         19 . A method as in  claim 16 , wherein the first wire comprises a release wire for releasing the contralateral iliac branch of a bifurcation graft from a constrained configuration to an expanded configuration.  
     
     
         20 . A method as in  claim 16 , further comprising the step of introducing a bifurcation graft delivery catheter into the aorta along the second wire.