| abstract |
The catheter assembly includes an expandable member mounted to the distal end of a placement catheter, for delivery of a therapeutic device in one of the branch vessels of a bifurcated vessel. The catheter assembly includes lumens for a tracking guide wire and a positioning guide member for placement of the therapeutic device. The therapeutic device is mounted on the expandable member, the tracking guide wire is placed into the target branch vessel, and the placement catheter is then introduced over the tracking guide wire. A positioning guide member is introduced through the catheter, extended through an exit port in the catheter proximal to the expandable member, and then placed in another branch vessel of the bifurcation. The placement catheter then is advanced until the positioning guide member engages the vessel carina between the branch vessels, and the therapeutic device then may be placed accurately in the target branch vessel. In another form of the catheter assembly, a secondary catheter member is mounted to the placement catheter and adapted to receive the positioning guide member for placement of the positioning guide member in the vessel branch not to be treated. An elongated angle member is mounted to the secondary catheter member for engagement with the vessel carina. |