Apparatus and methods for treating pulmonary hypertension
First Claim
1. A method of performing a procedure to destroy nerve fibers of a nerve innervating a pulmonary artery to treat pulmonary hypertension in a patient, the method comprising:
- advancing a distal portion of a therapy delivery catheter to a target location in the pulmonary artery of the patient;
changing a shape of the distal portion of the catheter from a first configuration to a second configuration to cause the distal portion to contact an inner wall of the pulmonary artery at the target location;
delivering a therapy from at least one therapy delivery member disposed along the distal portion of the catheter to destroy the nerve fibers along a length of the nerve to treat the pulmonary hypertension in the patient; and
removing the catheter from the pulmonary artery and from the patient at the end of the procedure.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method is described for decreasing activity of at least one sympathetic nerve, nerve fiber or neuron innervating at least one blood vessel in the pulmonary vasculature of a patient to ameliorate pulmonary hypertension. In one embodiment, the method may involve advancing an intravascular treatment device to a target location in a target blood vessel within the pulmonary vasculature of the patient and using the treatment device to decrease activity of at least one sympathetic nerve, nerve fiber or neuron innervating the target blood vessel at or near the target location to ameliorate pulmonary hypertension.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method of performing a procedure to destroy nerve fibers of a nerve innervating a pulmonary artery to treat pulmonary hypertension in a patient, the method comprising:
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advancing a distal portion of a therapy delivery catheter to a target location in the pulmonary artery of the patient; changing a shape of the distal portion of the catheter from a first configuration to a second configuration to cause the distal portion to contact an inner wall of the pulmonary artery at the target location; delivering a therapy from at least one therapy delivery member disposed along the distal portion of the catheter to destroy the nerve fibers along a length of the nerve to treat the pulmonary hypertension in the patient; and removing the catheter from the pulmonary artery and from the patient at the end of the procedure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of performing a procedure to treat pulmonary hypertension by reducing pulmonary vascular resistance in a patient, the method comprising:
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advancing an energy delivery portion of a catheter to a target location in a pulmonary artery; changing a shape of the energy delivery portion from a first configuration to a second configuration to contact an inner wall of the pulmonary artery at the target location with multiple, circumferential energy delivery members disposed at separated locations along a length of the energy delivery portion; delivering energy from the energy delivery members to destroy nerve fibers of a sympathetic nerve that innervates the pulmonary artery to reduce the pulmonary vascular resistance in the patient and thus treat pulmonary hypertension; and removing the catheter from the pulmonary artery at the end of the procedure. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification