Endoscopic basket delivery catheter

A method for merging a catheter onto a guidewire, the method comprising:

• obtaining a catheter, the catheter including:
• a flexible, elongated sheath configured to slidably receive an endoscopic tool therein, and
• a saddle secured to the sheath, the saddle including a guidewire lumen, wherein the guidewire lumen includes a slit extending along an axial length of the saddle;
• obtaining an adapter configured to merge the catheter onto a guidewire, the adapter comprising:
• an adapter lumen configured to receive the sheath and the saddle, the adapter lumen including a first working channel, a second working channel, and a narrowed lumen portion situated between the first working channel and the second working channel, and
• a wedge extending from an inner surface of the adapter lumen into the second working channel;
• receiving the sheath within the first working channel of the adapter lumen and receiving the saddle within the second working channel of the adapter lumen such that the wedge engages and widens a portion of the slit;
• and
• merging a portion of the guidewire into the guidewire lumen of the saddle through the widened portion of the slit.

An apparatus for merging a catheter onto a guidewire, the apparatus comprising:

• a catheter comprising:
• first means for slidably receiving an endoscopic tool, and
• a saddle secured to the first means, the saddle including a guidewire lumen having second means for receiving a guidewire;
• and
• third means for receiving a middle portion of the guidewire while a proximal portion of the guidewire remains locked and for merging the saddle onto the guidewire.