Permanently implantable guiding catheter

A system for facilitating repeated access to a body tissue site, the system comprising:

• a guiding catheter comprising:
• a flexible, elongate catheter body having a substantially hollow cylindrical configuration, the catheter body having a proximal end, and having an open distal end adapted to be disposed generally at the body tissue site;
• a port assembly, coupled to the proximal end of the catheter body, for retaining the catheter body in position, the port assembly including a self-sealable septum for preventing seepage of body fluids into the catheter body or from the open distal end of the catheter body into the adjacent subcutaneous tissue, the port assembly adapted to be subcutaneously disposed;
• a hollow needle to access the guiding catheter, the needle having a sharpened distal end to pass through the skin and into the septum of the port assembly;
• a flexible, elongate infusion catheter, the infusion catheter having a substantially hollow cylindrical configuration, the catheter body having a proximal end, and having an open distal end adapted to be disposed generally at the body tissue site;
• wherein the guiding catheter body has a sufficient internal diameter to allow passage of the needle therethrough;
• wherein the needle has a sufficient internal diameter to allow passage of the infusion catheter therethrough, such that a distal end of the infusion catheter is provided access to the body tissue site;
• whereby, the guiding catheter is placed in position in a patient's body, the needle placed through the guiding catheter and the drug infusion catheter placed through the needle.

A system for facilitating repeated access to a body tissue site, the system comprising:

• a guiding catheter comprising:
• a flexible, elongate catheter body having a substantially hollow cylindrical configuration, the catheter body having a proximal end, and having a distal end adapted to be disposed generally at the body tissue site, the distal end having a seal;
• a port assembly, coupled to the proximal end of the catheter body, for retaining the catheter body in position, the port assembly including a self-sealable septum for preventing seepage of body fluids into the catheter body or from the open distal end of the catheter body into the adjacent subcutaneous tissue, the port assembly adapted to be subcutaneously disposed;
• a flexible, elongate infusion catheter, the infusion catheter having a substantially hollow cylindrical configuration, the catheter body having a proximal end, and having an open distal end adapted to be disposed generally at the body tissue site;
• wherein the guiding catheter body has a sufficient internal diameter to allow passage of the infusion catheter therethrough, such that a distal end of the infusion catheter is provided access to the body tissue site;
• whereby, the guiding catheter is placed in position in a patient's body and the drug infusion catheter placed through the guiding catheter to the body tissue site through the seal of the distal end of the catheter body.