Biliary access catheter system and methods for accessing the biliary tree

A method for accessing a body lumen, the method comprising:

• providing a catheter, the catheter having a guidewire lumen defined therein and an outer wall surface having a channel formed therein;
• disposing a first guidewire in the channel;
• disposing a second guidewire in the guidewire lumen;
• advancing the catheter through a body lumen to a location where a common duct splits into a first duct and a second duct;
• advancing the catheter into the first duct;
• retracting the catheter from the first duct while leaving the first guidewire in the first duct;
• and
• advancing the catheter into the second duct.

A dual-wire catheter system for accessing a body lumen along the biliary and/or pancreatic tract, the catheter system comprising:

• an elongate catheter shaft having a guidewire lumen defined therein and having an outer surface with a guidewire channel formed therein;
• wherein the guidewire lumen extends along a length of the catheter shaft;
• wherein the channel extends along a length of the catheter shaft;
• a first guidewire disposed in the guidewire lumen;
• and
• a second guidewire disposed in the guidewire channel.