US Patent 10271873 Sheathless guide catheter assembly

A guide catheter assembly includes a dilator and a guide catheter. The dilator includes a dilator lumen extending from a distal opening at a distal end to a proximal opening at a proximal end, and a side exit port proximal of the distal opening and in communication with the dilator lumen. The guide catheter includes a proximal end, a distal end, and a guide lumen extending therebetween. The dilator and the guide lumen are sized such that the dilator can pass through the guide lumen. The dilator and the guide catheter are sized such that with the proximal end of the dilator generally aligned along an axis with the proximal end of the guide catheter, the distal end of the dilator extends distally past the distal end of the guide catheter and the side exit port is disposed distal of the distal end of the guide catheter.