Bailout catheter for fixed wire angioplasty

A method for performing balloon angioplasty, in bifurcation lesions, comprising:

• (a) advancing the balloon segment of a catheter as defined in claim into a first stenosis of the bifurcation in a patient's vascular system;
• (b) advancing a guidewire through the bailout lumen of said catheter and out of the distal end of the bailout lumen into a second stenosis of the bifurcation in said patient;
• and
• (c) inflating and deflating the balloon in said first stenosis.

An angioplasty catheter, comprising:

• a catheter shaft having a proximal end, a proximal portion, and a distal end, with a balloon inflation lumen extending therethrough;
• a fixed, steerable torquewire extending through at least a portion of said shaft and out of the distal end thereof;
• an angioplasty balloon on the distal end of said catheter operatively communicating with said balloon inflation lumen for inflation and deflation of said balloon, wherein the proximal end of said balloon is attached to the distal end of said catheter shaft and the distal end of said balloon is attached to said torquewire;
• and
• a bailout lumen extending along said catheter shaft from a point within about 30 cm of the proximal end of the catheter to a point proximal to and within about 30 cm of said balloon, said bailout lumen adapted to receive a removable guidewire, said bailout lumen having an outer wall, further comprising guidewire removing means in the outer wall of the bailout lumen, said guidewire removing means being adapted to permit a guidewire, extending through the bailout lumen, to be removed laterally through the outer wall.