Catheter and guide wire exchange system

A catheter and guide wire exchange system comprising:

• an elongate flexible catheter shaft having proximal and distal ends and first and second lumens extending there through, the first lumen being open at the shaft distal end and being sized and shaped to slidably receive a guide wire;
• a longitudinal guide way formed in the catheter shaft to enable transverse access to the first lumen through the shaft, the guide way extending along a major portion of the length of the shaft from a location adjacent the shaft proximal end to a distal terminal end proximal of the shaft distal end, thereby defining an uncut distal segment of the shaft;
• an elongate stiffening member being disposed within the second lumen from the shaft proximal end to a location adjacent the guide way distal terminal end, the stiffening member increasingly flexible in the distal direction;
• a balloon mounted about shaft distal segment, the balloon being in fluid communication with the second lumen;
• and
• a guide member mounted on the catheter shaft and having a catheter passageway extending there through for slidably receiving the catheter shaft and a guide wire passageway for slidably receiving the guide wire, and which intersects the catheter passageway for merging the guide wire and the catheter by guiding the guide wire transversely through the guide way and into the first lumen and for separating the guide wire and catheter by guiding the guide wire transversely out of the first lumen through said guide way.