Abstract: A puncture catheter for transjugular or transfemoral percutaneous introduction into the lower vena cava is described. The catheter is composed of an outer direction catheter (1) and an inner puncturing catheter (5) introduced into it. The end segment (2) of the direction catheter (1) may be bent at an angle by means of a pulling mechanism (4), and directed toward the wall of the vena cava (V1). The tip of the puncture catheter (5) serves to perforate the wall of the vena cava (V1) and to puncture the portal vein (VP) ventrally crossing the vena cava (VCI). This non-anatomical connection is stabilized by accessory parts, a so-called porto-caval shunt.

Abstract: A two-compartment catheter of plastic or rubber is described, which can be introduced into the region of the vena cava where it is joined by the hepatic veins, and serves for therapy of liver diseases and for pharmacological studies on the liver. It consists of a two-lumen catheter which, at one end of the catheter tube, which is to be introduced into the vena cava, has an inflatable elongate extension, the diameter of which at the ends is greater than the diameter in the central region. The inflatable extension has an axially continuous through-flow channel, and the catheter tube leads next to this through-flow channel into a space, separate from the latter, outside the extension.