Telescopic side port catheter device with imaging system and method for accessing side branch occlusions

A method of crossing an occlusion within a vessel, the method comprising:

• positioning a catheter within a vessel of a patient, the catheter including:
• an imaging element,
• a steering assembly comprising a first tube and a second tube, wherein the first tube is located within the second tube and slides with respect to the second tube, wherein the first and second tubes are telescopically movable with respect to each other,
• an occlusion crossing wire extending out of an opening in the first tube through a side port in the second tube that provides an exit opening in a side of the catheter,
• a stabilizing element that provides stability to the catheter located either proximal to or distal to the exit opening, and
• a visual marker element positioned on the catheter and aligned with the exit opening in the catheter, the visual marker element configured to be within a field of view captured by the imaging element;
• advancing the imaging element through a main vessel to a position adjacent an occlusion of a side vessel;
• imaging the occlusion along with a portion of the side vessel;
• aligning the exit opening in the side of the catheter with the occlusion based on a visual indication of an orientation of the exit opening with respect to the imaged occlusion and the side vessel provided by the visual marker element;
• changing an orientation of the crossing wire with the steering assembly by moving the second tube telescopically with respect to the first tube, thereby to cause the crossing wire to change its angle with respect to the catheter;
• and
• advancing the crossing wire through the opening of the first tube and the exit opening in the side of the catheter and into the occlusion.