Method and apparatus for locating the fossa ovalis, creating a virtual fossa ovalis and performing transseptal puncture

A medical device comprising:

• a hollow catheter adapted to navigate a patient's vasculature to the right atrium, wherein the hollow catheter surrounds a hollow lumen terminating at a distal end;
• and
• means for determining a position of the hollow catheter by an electroanatomical navigation system;
• wherein the means for determining a position comprises one of:
• an impedance-measuring electrode element, an acoustic-ranging system element, and a computed tomography imaging element,
• wherein said hollow lumen is configured to receive a second medical device therethrough

An apparatus comprising:

• a hollow catheter comprising a hollow lumen terminating at a distal end, wherein said hollow lumen is adapted to receive a second medical device having a length greater than that of the hollow catheter;
• and
• an electroanatomical navigation system element, said electroanatomical navigation system element configured for determining the relative position of at least a distal portion of the hollow catheter
• wherein the electroanatomical navigation system element comprises one of:
• an impedance-measuring electrode element, an acoustic-ranging system element, and a computed tomography imaging element.