Methods for catheter-based renal neuromodulation
First Claim
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1. A method for catheter-based renal neuromodulation, the method comprising:
- intravascularly positioning a catheter in a reduced profile delivery configuration within a renal artery of a human patient and adjacent to renal nerves that innervate a kidney of the patient;
transforming an expandable electrode at a distal region of the catheter from the reduced profile delivery configuration to a treatment configuration,wherein the expandable electrode comprises a helical configuration, and wherein, in the treatment configuration, the expandable electrode is sized and shaped such that the helical electrode contacts an inner wall of the renal artery of the patient; and
delivering an electric field between the expandable electrode and a ground pad coupled to an exterior of the patient, thereby thermally inhibiting neural communication along the renal nerves,wherein delivering the electric field and thermally inhibiting neural communication along the renal nerves results in a therapeutically beneficial reduction in blood pressure of the patient.
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus are provided for monopolar neuromodulation, e.g., via a pulsed electric field. Such monopolar neuromodulation may effectuate irreversible electroporation or electrofusion, necrosis and/or inducement of apoptosis, alteration of gene expression, action potential attenuation or blockade, changes in cytokine up-regulation and other conditions in target neural fibers. In some embodiments, monopolar neuromodulation is applied to neural fibers that contribute to renal function. In some embodiments, such monopolar neuromodulation is performed bilaterally.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for catheter-based renal neuromodulation, the method comprising:
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intravascularly positioning a catheter in a reduced profile delivery configuration within a renal artery of a human patient and adjacent to renal nerves that innervate a kidney of the patient; transforming an expandable electrode at a distal region of the catheter from the reduced profile delivery configuration to a treatment configuration, wherein the expandable electrode comprises a helical configuration, and wherein, in the treatment configuration, the expandable electrode is sized and shaped such that the helical electrode contacts an inner wall of the renal artery of the patient; and delivering an electric field between the expandable electrode and a ground pad coupled to an exterior of the patient, thereby thermally inhibiting neural communication along the renal nerves, wherein delivering the electric field and thermally inhibiting neural communication along the renal nerves results in a therapeutically beneficial reduction in blood pressure of the patient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for treating a hypertensive human patient, the method comprising:
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attaching a ground pad to an exterior of the patient; passing a renal denervation catheter comprising a monopolar electrode through vasculature of the patient to a renal blood vessel such that the monopolar electrode is located adjacent renal nerves of the patient, wherein the monopolar electrode comprises an expandable helical electrode transformable between a low-profile delivery configuration and an expanded treatment configuration; and ablating the renal nerves via electrical energy delivered in a monopolar fashion between the monopolar expandable helical electrode and the ground pad, wherein ablating the renal nerves of the patient attenuates neural communication along the renal nerves and thereby results in a therapeutically beneficial reduction in blood pressure of the patient. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method, comprising:
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positioning a renal denervation catheter in a reduced profile delivery configuration within a renal artery of a human patient and adjacent to neural fibers that innervate a kidney of the patient; transforming an expandable electrode at a distal region of the renal denervation catheter from the reduced profile delivery configuration to a treatment configuration, wherein the expandable electrode comprises a spiral configuration, and wherein, in the treatment configuration, the expandable electrode is sized and shaped such that the spiral electrode contacts an inner wall of the renal artery of the patient; and delivering an electric field between the expandable electrode and a ground pad coupled to an exterior of the patient, thereby thermally inhibiting neural communication along the neural fibers, wherein delivering the electric field and thermally inhibiting neural communication along the neural fibers results in a therapeutically beneficial reduction in sympathetic overactivity of the patient.
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Specification