Methods and apparatus for thermally-induced renal neuromodulation
First Claim
1. A method for renal neuromodulation of a human patient, the method comprising:
- intravascularly positioning a catheter within a renal artery of the human patient and proximate to neural fibers innervating a kidney of the patient, the catheter comprising a first infusion needle and a second infusion needle;
deploying the first and second infusion needles to pierce a wall of the renal artery; and
injecting a neuromodulatory agent through the first and second infusion needles to at least partially ablate the neural fibers innervating the kidney of the patient,wherein at least partially ablating the neural fibers blocks or reduces neural transmission along the neural fibers.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are provided for thermally-induced renal neuromodulation. Thermally-induced renal neuromodulation may be achieved via direct and/or via indirect application of thermal energy to heat or cool neural fibers that contribute to renal function, or of vascular structures that feed or perfuse the neural fibers. In some embodiments, parameters of the neural fibers, of non-target tissue, or of the thermal energy delivery element, may be monitored via one or more sensors for controlling the thermally-induced neuromodulation. In some embodiments, protective elements may be provided to reduce a degree of thermal damage induced in the non-target tissues. In some embodiments, thermally-induced renal neuromodulation is achieved via delivery of a pulsed thermal therapy.
-
Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A method for renal neuromodulation of a human patient, the method comprising:
-
intravascularly positioning a catheter within a renal artery of the human patient and proximate to neural fibers innervating a kidney of the patient, the catheter comprising a first infusion needle and a second infusion needle; deploying the first and second infusion needles to pierce a wall of the renal artery; and injecting a neuromodulatory agent through the first and second infusion needles to at least partially ablate the neural fibers innervating the kidney of the patient, wherein at least partially ablating the neural fibers blocks or reduces neural transmission along the neural fibers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A method for renal neuromodulation of a human patient having clinical symptoms of hypertension, the method comprising:
-
intravascularly advancing a catheter within a renal artery of the human patient and proximate to a renal nerve innervating a kidney of the patient, the catheter comprising a balloon and a plurality of infusion needles; expanding the balloon to position or center the catheter within the renal artery; deploying the plurality of infusion needles to pierce a wall of the renal artery; injecting a neuromodulatory agent through the plurality of infusion needles to at least partially ablate the renal nerve innervating the kidney and inhibit neural traffic along the renal nerve; and intravascularly removing the catheter from the renal artery after injecting the neuromodulatory agent, wherein the method comprises alleviating the clinical symptoms of hypertension in the human patient. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
Specification