Catheter and method of engaging catheter

A catheter configured to be introduced into an arm of a patient and advanced to a hepatic artery of the patient, the catheter comprising:

• a tubular body that possesses an open proximal end and an open distal end, a lumen extending throughout the tubular body from the open proximal end of the tubular body to the open distal end of the tubular body, and a hub extending from the proximal end of the tubular body, the tubular body possessing a center line extending throughout the tubular body;
• the tubular body being comprised of a substantially linear main body portion and a shape portion that is bent so that an entirety of the shape portion is positioned in a common plane, the main body portion possessing a distal-most end;
• the shape portion comprising:
• a first bent portion possessing a proximal-most end that is connected to the distal-most end of the main body portion, the first bent portion being bent toward one side and defining a first angle constituting a change amount in a direction of the center line of the tubular body in the first bent portion;
• a second bent portion disposed on a distal side of the first bent portion, the second bent portion being bent toward the side that is the same as the side to which the first bent portion is bent, the second bent portion defining a second angle constituting a change amount in a direction of the center line of the tubular body in the second bent portion;
• a third bent portion disposed on a distal side of the second bent portion, the third bent portion being bent toward a side that is opposite the side to which the first and second bent portions are bent, the third bent portion defining a third angle constituting a change amount in a direction of the center line of the tubular body in the third bent portion;
• a most distal end portion disposed on a distal side of the third bent portion, the most distal end portion terminating at a free end that is a distal-most end of the tubular body;
• the first and second bent portions being configured and arranged such that when the catheter is introduced into the arm of the patient and advanced toward the hepatic artery of the patient, the second bent portion of the tubular body contacts a blood vessel wall of a celiac artery which branches from a descending aorta of the patient and from which extends the hepatic artery while at the same time the first bent portion contacts a blood vessel wall of the descending aorta on an opposite side from an entrance of the celiac artery;
• the center line passing through the main body portion is referred to as a first axis;
• a point positioned at the distal-most end of the main body portion is referred to as a first intermediate point;
• a first part of the shape portion being a part of the shape portion between the first bent portion and the second bent portion that possesses a largest radius of curvature, a center of the first part in a lengthwise extent of the first part being referred to as a second intermediate point;
• a second part of the shape portion being a part of the shape portion between the second bent portion and the third bent portion that possesses a largest radius of curvature, a center of the second part in a lengthwise extent of the second part being referred to as a third intermediate point;
• a third part of the shape portion being a part of the second bent portion possessing a smallest radius of curvature, a center of the third part of the shape portion being a bending point;
• the shape portion being configured so that the second intermediate point and the bending point are positioned such that a straight line passing through the second intermediate point and the bending point, and extending from the second intermediate point to the bending point extends away from the main body;
• the substantially linear main body portion being positioned entirely on one side of a plane that is perpendicular to the center line in the tubular body and that passes through the distal-most end of the main body portion;
• and
• the distal-most end of the tubular body being positioned on an opposite side of the plane that is perpendicular to the center line in the tubular body and that passes through the distal-most end of the main body portion.