Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for performing a medical procedure within a patient's body that involves a thoracic duct including an ostium communicating with the patient's venous system. An apparatus is provided that includes a catheter including proximal and distal ends and a lumen extending therebetween. An expandable sealing member is carried beyond the distal end that is expandable from a delivery condition to a deployed condition in which the sealing member defines a concave contact surface shaped for engaging a vessel wall surrounding the outlet of the thoracic duct. The sealing member includes an aspiration port in the contact surface communicating with the catheter lumen for removing fluid from the thoracic duct.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for performing a medical procedure within a patient's body that involves a thoracic duct including an ostium communicating with the patient's venous system. A distal end of a catheter is introduced through the patient's venous system into a body lumen adjacent the ostium of the thoracic duct. An expandable member on the distal end of the tubular may be expanded adjacent the ostium, e.g., within the body lumen or the thoracic duct itself, and used to isolate the thoracic duct from the body lumen, whereupon a medical procedure may be performed via the thoracic duct. For example, lymphatic fluid may be removed from the thoracic duct through a lumen of the tubular member and/or one or more agents may be introduced into the thoracic duct through the tubular member.

Abstract: Devices and methods for draining excess lymph fluid are disclosed. The device can be fixed to the blood vessel adjacent to the thoracic duct. The device can have a port for withdrawing lymph fluid exiting the thoracic duct. The device can have a cannula and/or subcutaneous port to draw the lymph fluid away from the thoracic duct and reduce hemostatic pressure in the lymphatic system.