Importance

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Abstract

A medical probe device comprising a catheter having a stylet guide housing with at least one stylet port in a side thereof and stylet guide means for directing a flexible stylet outward through at least one stylet port and through intervening tissue to targeted tissues. The stylet guide housing has an optical viewing means positioned for viewing the stylet and adjacent structure which includes a fiber optic channel means for receiving a fiber optic viewing device. The fiber optic channel means can include a guide port means for directing longitudinal movement of a fiber optic device with respect to the stylet guide means in a viewing zone and a flushing liquid channel in the stylet guide housing having an exit port positioned to direct flushing liquid issuing therefrom across the end of a fiber optic device when positioned in the viewing zone. The optical viewing means can comprise a viewing window positioned in the stylet guide housing for viewing the stylet when it is directed outward from its respective stylet port. The optical viewing means can include a fiber optic channel in the stylet guide housing for receiving the a fiber optic viewing device and aligning the viewing end thereof with the viewing window. Windowed devices can include a flushing liquid channel in the stylet guide housing having an exit port positioned to direct flushing liquid issuing therefrom across a surface of the viewing window.

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First Claim