Abstract: A system for providing transvascular retrograde access in a central blood vessel of a patient. In some embodiments, the system has a handle; a catheter extending from the handle; and a tissue piercing element extending from the handle through the catheter, the tissue piercing element having a sharp distal tip adapted to extend from a distal portion of the catheter, the catheter and handle being adapted to be separated from the tissue piercing element, a distal portion of the tissue piercing element being adapted to serve as a guide for introduction of a device into the central blood vessel. The invention also includes a method of providing transvascular retrograde access to a central blood vessel of a patient.

Abstract: A system for providing transvascular retrograde access in a central blood vessel of a patient. In some embodiments, the system has a handle; a catheter extending from the handle; and a tissue piercing element extending from the handle through the catheter, the tissue piercing element having a sharp distal tip adapted to extend from a distal portion of the catheter, the catheter and handle being adapted to be separated from the tissue piercing element, a distal portion of the tissue piercing element being adapted to serve as a guide for introduction of a device into the central blood vessel. The invention also includes a method of providing transvascular retrograde access to a central blood vessel of a patient.

Abstract: A system for providing transvascular retrograde access in a central blood vessel of a patient. In some embodiments, the system has a handle; a catheter extending from the handle; and a tissue piercing element extending from the handle through the catheter, the tissue piercing element having a sharp distal tip adapted to extend from a distal portion of the catheter, the catheter and handle being adapted to be separated from the tissue piercing element, a distal portion of the tissue piercing element being adapted to serve as a guide for introduction of a device into the central blood vessel. The invention also includes a method of providing transvascular retrograde access to a central blood vessel of a patient.

Abstract: A system for providing transvascular retrograde access in a central blood vessel of a patient. In some embodiments, the system has a handle; a catheter extending from the handle; and a tissue piercing element extending from the handle through the catheter, the tissue piercing element having a sharp distal tip adapted to extend from a distal portion of the catheter, the catheter and handle being adapted to be separated from the tissue piercing element, a distal portion of the tissue piercing element being adapted to serve as a guide for introduction of a device into the central blood vessel. The invention also includes a method of providing transvascular retrograde access to a central blood vessel of a patient.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods of transvascular retrograde access placement into a central blood vessel and to devices that facilitate these methods. The method includes positioning a vascular catheter within the vessel such that its distal end faces a desired exit site on the vessel wall, passing a penetrating device from the catheter through the vascular exit site and skin of the patient; and passing a secondary vascular catheter through the exit site and into the central blood vessel. In another aspect, the method includes penetrating outward from within the vessel to form a pass-through site on a wall of the vessel that exits the patient; and placing the vascular access device into the vessel through the pass-through site. Typical vessels that may be accessed include central veins, but may include other veins as well as arteries.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of transvascular retrograde access placement and to devices that facilitate these methods. For purposes of the present invention, transvascular retrograde access placement generally comprises the insertion of a vascular catheter into a central blood vessel through the puncturing of the central blood vessel from the inside of the central blood vessel with a needle or other similarly configured device, or a needle-tipped guidewire of the present invention, and exiting that needle from the patient through the skin rather than the traditional approach of inserting a needle from the outside of the skin surface to the inside of a blood vessel.