Apparatuses for accessing a target patient tissue site

A method for inserting at least one medical instrument directly toward a target patient tissue site, the method comprising:

• providing an introducer sheath having a plurality of sheath lumens extending between sheath proximal and distal ends of the introducer sheath;
• inserting a guidewire distal end into a target patient tissue site;
• directing the guidewire proximal end through a first sheath lumen of the plurality of sheath lumens;
• directing the introducer sheath toward the target patient tissue site along the guidewire;
• directing the guidewire proximal end at least partially through a first medical instrument;
• and
• directing the first medical instrument to the target patient tissue site along the guidewire and at least partially through a second sheath lumen of the plurality of sheath lumens, the first medical instrument urging the guidewire from the first sheath lumen to the second sheath lumen as the first medical instrument moves at least partially through the second sheath lumen, while the guidewire is maintained at the target patient tissue site.

A method for inserting an introducer sheath through a patient tissue access point, the method comprising:

• providing the introducer sheath having a plurality of sheath lumens extending between sheath proximal and distal ends of the introducer sheath;
• inserting a guidewire distal end through the patient tissue access point;
• directing a guidewire proximal end through a first sheath lumen of the plurality of sheath lumens;
• directing the guidewire proximal end at least partially through a first medical instrument;
• directing the first medical instrument over the guidewire and at least partially through the first sheath lumen;
• directing the guidewire proximal end at least partially through a second medical instrument;
• directing the second medical instrument over the guidewire and at least partially through a second sheath lumen of the plurality of sheath lumens, the second medical instrument urging the guidewire from the first sheath lumen to the second sheath lumen as the second medical instrument moves at least partially through the second sheath lumen, while the guidewire is maintained through the patient tissue access point;
• aligning the first and second medical instruments with the introducer sheath so that at least a portion of both of the first and second medical instruments extend out from the introducer sheath and form a smooth outer contour with the sheath distal end;
• and
• with the first and second medical instruments aligned with the introducer sheath, collectively directing the introducer sheath, the first medical instrument, and the second medical instrument through the patient tissue access point along the guidewire.

A method for transitioning a guidewire between a plurality of lumens within a patient, the method comprising:

• providing an introducer sheath including
• a plurality of sheath lumens extending between sheath proximal and distal ends of the introducer sheath, and
• a selectively removable septum extending between the sheath proximal and distal ends and selectively separating each of the plurality of sheath lumens from one another to at least partially isolate each of plurality of sheath lumens from one another when the removable septum is inserted into the introducer sheath, at least one of the plurality of sheath lumens being in fluid communication with at least one other of the plurality of sheath lumens when the removable septum is removed from the introducer sheath;
• inserting a guidewire distal end into a target patient tissue site;
• directing a guidewire proximal end through a first sheath lumen of the plurality of sheath lumens;
• directing the introducer sheath toward the target patient tissue site along the guidewire;
• removing the removable septum from the introducer sheath;
• with the removable septum removed from the introducer sheath, urging the guidewire proximal end from the first sheath lumen to a second sheath lumen of the plurality of sheath lumens;
• and
• with the guidewire proximal end in the second sheath lumen, inserting the removable septum into the introducer sheath, the removable septum urging the guidewire from the first sheath lumen to the second sheath lumen as the removable septum is inserted into the introducer sheath, while the guidewire is maintained at the target patient tissue site.