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Catheter connectors, connection systems, and methods of use in which a catheter is attached to an offset connector such that the catheter is retained on the connector by compression between a tube located within the catheter and a collar fitted over the portion of the catheter containing the tube. T

Catheter connectors, connection systems, and methods of use in which a catheter is attached to an offset connector such that the catheter is retained on the connector by compression between a tube located within the catheter and a collar fitted over the portion of the catheter containing the tube. The catheters used with the offset catheter connection systems may include an elastically compressible inner body that is surrounded by a reinforcing braid. After the offset connector tube is inserted into the lumen of the catheter, a collar may be advanced over the exterior of the catheter and the offset connecter tube contained therein.

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1. A catheter connection system comprising: a connector body;a first tube extending from the connector body, wherein the first tube comprises a bore extending through the first tube, and wherein the first tube defines a first tube axis centered within and extending through the first tube;a first cat

1. A catheter connection system comprising: a connector body;a first tube extending from the connector body, wherein the first tube comprises a bore extending through the first tube, and wherein the first tube defines a first tube axis centered within and extending through the first tube;a first catheter comprising an end portion attached to the first tube, wherein the end portion of the first catheter comprises a lumen that is occupied by the first tube; anda first collar attached to the connector body, wherein the first collar comprises a first passage, wherein the first passage defines a first passage axis centered within and extending through the first passage, and wherein the end portion of the first catheter and the first tube are located within the first passage, and wherein the first passage axis is offset from the first tube axis when the first collar is attached to the connector body;wherein the end portion of the first catheter is differentially compressed on opposing sides between a portion of an outer surface of the first tube and a portion of an inner surface of the first passage. 2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the first tube axis is parallel to the first passage axis. 3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the bore in the first tube is centered along the first tube axis. 4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the connector body comprises a circular cylindrical connector body defining a central axis, and wherein the first tube axis is offset from the central axis. 5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the connector body comprises a circular cylindrical connector body defining a central axis, and wherein the first passage axis is coincident with the central axis when the first collar is attached to the connector body. 6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the first tube comprises a uniform cross-sectional profile along its length. 7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the first passage in the first collar comprises a uniform cross-sectional profile along its length. 8. A system according to claim 1, wherein the first tube is located entirely within the first passage when the first collar is attached to the connector body. 9. A system according to claim 1, wherein the connector body and the first collar comprise a retention mechanism located between the first collar to the connector body. 10. A system according to claim 9, wherein the retention mechanism comprises a ratchet connection. 11. A system according to claim 1, wherein the lumen in the proximal end of the catheter is located within an elastically compressible inner body that is surrounded by a reinforcing braid located around an outer surface of the inner body, and further wherein the reinforcing braid and the inner body are surrounded by an outer sheath covering the outer surface of the inner body and the reinforcing braid, wherein the inner body is differentially compressed between the first tube and the first passage. 12. A system according to claim 1, the system comprising: a second tube extending from the connector body, wherein the second tube comprises a bore extending through the second tube, and wherein the second tube defines a second tube axis centered within and extending through the second tube;a second catheter comprising an end portion attached to the second tube, wherein the end portion of the second catheter comprises a lumen that is occupied by the second tube; anda second collar attached to the connector body, wherein the second collar comprises a second passage, wherein the second passage defines a second passage axis centered within and extending through the second passage, and wherein the end portion of the second catheter and the second tube are located within the second passage, and wherein the second passage axis is offset from the second tube axis when the second collar is attached to the connector body;wherein the end portion of the second catheter is differentially compressed on opposing sides between a portion of an outer surface of the second tube and a portion of an inner surface of the second passage. 13. A system according to claim 12, wherein the first tube and the second tube are aligned such that the first tube axis and the second tube axis are coincident with each other. 14. A system according to claim 12, wherein the first tube and the second tube comprise portions of a common tube that extends through the connector body. 15. A system according to claim 12, wherein the second tube axis is parallel to the second passage axis. 16. A system according to claim 12, wherein the bore in the second tube is centered along the second tube axis. 17. A system according to claim 12, wherein the connector body comprises a circular cylindrical connector body defining a central axis, and wherein the second tube axis is offset from the central axis. 18. A system according to claim 12, wherein the connector body comprises a circular cylindrical connector body defining a central axis, and wherein the second passage axis is coincident with the central axis when the second collar is attached to the connector body. 19. A system according to claim 12, wherein the second tube comprises a uniform cross-sectional profile along its length. 20. A system according to claim 12, wherein the second passage in the second collar comprises a uniform cross-sectional profile along its length. 21. A system according to claim 12, wherein the second tube is located entirely within the second passage when the second collar is attached to the connector body. 22. A system according to claim 12, wherein the connector body and the second collar comprise a retention mechanism located between the second collar to the connector body. 23. A system according to claim 22, wherein the retention mechanism comprises a ratchet connection. 24. A system according to claim 12, wherein the lumen in the proximal end of the catheter is located within an elastically compressible inner body that is surrounded by a reinforcing braid located around an outer surface of the inner body, and further wherein the reinforcing braid and the inner body are surrounded by an outer sheath covering the outer surface of the inner body and the reinforcing braid, wherein the inner body is differentially compressed between the first tube and the first passage. 25. A method of connecting a catheter to a connection system, the method comprising: inserting a first tube into a lumen at an end of a first catheter such that the first tube occupies an end portion of the catheter, wherein the first tube extends from a connector body, and further wherein the first tube comprises a bore extending through the first tube and a first tube axis centered within and extending through the first tube; anddifferentially compressing opposing sides of the catheter within the end portion of the catheter by attaching a first collar to the connector body, wherein the compression occurs between the first tube and a first passage of the first collar, wherein the first passage defines a first passage axis centered within and extending through the first passage, and wherein the end portion of the first catheter and the first tube occupying the end portion of the first catheter are located within the first passage, and wherein the first passage axis is offset from the first tube axis when the first collar is attached to the connector body. 26. A method according to claim 25, wherein the first tube is located entirely within the first passage when the first collar is attached to the connector body. 27. A therapeutic substance delivery system comprising: an implantable therapeutic substance delivery device;a delivery catheter; anda catheter connector connecting the delivery catheter to the implantable therapeutic substance delivery device, wherein the catheter connector comprises: a connector body;a first tube extending from the connector body, wherein the first tube comprises a bore extending through the first tube, and wherein the first tube defines a first tube axis centered within and extending through the first tube, wherein an end portion of the delivery catheter comprises a lumen that is occupied by the first tube; anda first collar attached to the connector body, wherein the first collar comprises a first passage, wherein the first passage defines a first passage axis centered within and extending through the first passage, and wherein the end portion of the delivery catheter and the first tube are located within the first passage, and wherein the first passage axis is offset from the first tube axis when the first collar is attached to the connector body;wherein the end portion of the delivery catheter occupied by the first tube is differentially compressed on opposing sides between a portion of an outer surface of the first tube and a portion of an inner surface of the first passage. 28. A system according to claim 27, wherein the system further comprises a proximal catheter located between the implantable therapeutic substance delivery device and the catheter connector, wherein the catheter connector further comprises: a second tube extending from the connector body, wherein the second tube comprises a bore extending through the second tube, and wherein the second tube defines a second tube axis centered within and extending through the second tube, and wherein an end portion of the proximal catheter comprises a lumen that is occupied by the second tube; anda second collar attached to the connector body, wherein the second collar comprises a second passage, wherein the second passage defines a second passage axis centered within and extending through the second passage, and wherein the end portion of the proximal catheter and the second tube are located within the second passage, and wherein the second passage axis is offset from the second tube axis when the second collar is attached to the connector body;wherein the end portion of the proximal catheter occupied by the second tube is differentially compressed on opposing sides between a portion of an outer surface of the second tube and a portion of an inner surface of the second passage.