Catheter apparatuses, systems, and methods for renal neuromodulation
First Claim
1. A catheter apparatus for intravascular renal neuromodulation, comprising:
- an elongated shaft comprising a proximal portion and a distal portion configured for percutaneous placement within a renal blood vessel of a human patient and proximate to neural fibers along the renal blood vessel that innervate a kidney of the patient,wherein the distal portion includes a first flexure zone and a second flexure zone extending distally from the first flexure zone, the second flexure zone being configured for helical deflection; and
a plurality of energy delivery elements carried by the second flexure zone,wherein the second flexure zone is configured to be transformable between a low-profile delivery configuration and an expanded treatment configuration that tends to assume the helically deflected shape and positions the energy delivery elements carried thereon in apposition with target tissue at or near the neural fibers,wherein the catheter apparatus is configured to reduce renal sympathetic nerve activity by delivering radio frequency (RF) energy via the energy delivery elements to the neural fibers, andwherein the second flexure zone comprises a plurality of infusion ports or lumens configured to allow infusion of an infusate into a lumen of the renal blood vessel before, during, and/or after delivery of the RF energy to the neural fibers.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Catheter apparatuses, systems, and methods for achieving renal neuromodulation by intravascular access are disclosed herein. One aspect of the present application, for example, is directed to apparatuses, systems, and methods that incorporate a catheter treatment device comprising an elongated shaft. The elongated shaft is sized and configured to deliver an energy delivery element to a renal artery via an intravascular path. Thermal or electrical renal neuromodulation may be achieved via direct and/or via indirect application of thermal and/or electrical energy to heat or cool, or otherwise electrically modulate, neural fibers that contribute to renal function, or of vascular structures that feed or perfuse the neural fibers.
545 Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A catheter apparatus for intravascular renal neuromodulation, comprising:
-
an elongated shaft comprising a proximal portion and a distal portion configured for percutaneous placement within a renal blood vessel of a human patient and proximate to neural fibers along the renal blood vessel that innervate a kidney of the patient, wherein the distal portion includes a first flexure zone and a second flexure zone extending distally from the first flexure zone, the second flexure zone being configured for helical deflection; and a plurality of energy delivery elements carried by the second flexure zone, wherein the second flexure zone is configured to be transformable between a low-profile delivery configuration and an expanded treatment configuration that tends to assume the helically deflected shape and positions the energy delivery elements carried thereon in apposition with target tissue at or near the neural fibers, wherein the catheter apparatus is configured to reduce renal sympathetic nerve activity by delivering radio frequency (RF) energy via the energy delivery elements to the neural fibers, and wherein the second flexure zone comprises a plurality of infusion ports or lumens configured to allow infusion of an infusate into a lumen of the renal blood vessel before, during, and/or after delivery of the RF energy to the neural fibers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A renal neuromodulation system, comprising:
-
an electric field generator configured to deliver a thermal RF field to renal nerves that modulate renal neural activity of a human patient; and a catheter comprising (a) a shaft having a lumen therethrough, (b) a first flexure zone at a distal region of the shaft, (c) a second flexure zone extending distally from the first flexure zone, the second flexure zone being configured for helical deflection, and (d) a plurality of electrodes carried by the second flexure zone and electrically coupled to the field generator, wherein the distal region of the shaft is transformable between— a low-profile delivery configuration for percutaneous intravascular placement within renal vasculature of the patient, and an expanded treatment configuration, wherein, in the expanded treatment configuration, the helically deflected shape is adapted to bring the electrodes into contact with an interior wall of the renal vasculature for delivery of the thermal RF field to the renal nerves along the renal vasculature of the patient, and wherein the second flexure zone comprises infusion outlets through which an infusate may be delivered into a lumen of the renal vasculature during therapy. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
-
Specification