Method for improving kidney function with extracorporeal shockwaves

• US 10,583,069 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2017
• Issued: 03/10/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Curespec Limited
• Original Assignee: Avner Spector
• Inventors: Spector, Avner
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Tu A
• Application Number:
  US15/452,568
• Publication Number:
  US 20170196766A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/225 for extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy [ESWL], e.g. by using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/2251 characterised by coupling elements between the apparatus, e.g. shock wave apparatus or locating means, and the patient, e.g. details of bags, pressure control of bag on patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00404 Blood vessels other than those in or around the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00434 Neural system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00511 Kidney
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/008 using shock waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/02 with electric or magnetic drive
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for treating the kidney with extracorporeal shockwaves in a noninvasive manner and in particular, to such a method for the treatment of the nephrons about the glomerulus.

Claims

1. A method for treating hypertension comprising:

locating a treatment zone comprising a neural tissue with an imaging device;

applying extracorporeal shockwave therapy (‘

ESWT’

) utilizing focused shockwaves generated with a shockwave generator to provide focused shockwaves having energy density of between 0.02 to 0.18 millijoule per millimeter squared (mJ/mm2) to the neural tissue directly or indirectly innervating the a kidney and renal structures.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the neural tissue is selected from:

renal sympathetic nerve, renal para-sympathetic nerve, renal sympathetic nerve that lie within and immediately adjacent to a wall of a renal artery, and any combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the shockwaves are repetitious at a repetition rate range from 1 to 6 shockwaves per second.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the shockwaves are repetitious at a repetition rate of about 2 shockwaves per second.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a shockwave treatment is applied up to 12 active shockwave treatment sessions over a period of up to 18 weeks.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein a number of shockwaves per shockwave treatment session is between 100 and 5000 shockwaves.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein a number of shockwaves per shockwave treatment session is about 1800 shockwaves.