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Abstract

A delivery catheter for introducing living matter into a body passageway or cavity of a female mammal comprises a hollow, flexible, dual lumen catheter having substantially tubular-shaped collection chamber for holding the living matter. An ejection port is formed adjacent to the distal end of the collection chamber and an actuator port is formed at its proximal end. A guide tube having a lumen, is positioned coaxially within the collection chamber with the respective distal and proximal ends of the guide tube and the collection chamber joined together in fluid-tight sealing engagements. In an alternate embodiment, the lumina are separated to create a guide wire lumen which is substantially parallel to a transfer lumen. Also, the distal end of the catheter is beveled to recess the opening of the guide wire lumen from the port of the collection chamber in the transfer lumen. In operation, the delivery catheter is inserted into the body passageway over a prepositioned guide wire. More specifically, the delivery catheter receives the guide wire through the lumen of its guide tube to advance the delivery catheter along the guide wire. Once the ejection port of the collection chamber is positioned at the desired site in the body passageway, fluid is introduced into the collection chamber through the actuator port to eject the living matter through the ejection port and into the body passageway. The delivery catheter and the guide wire are then withdrawn from the passageway.

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First Claim