Quantification of renal denervation via alterations in renal blood flow pre/post ablation

• US 9,974,477 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 05/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: St. Jude Medical Cardiology Division Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories)
• Original Assignee: St. Jude Medical Cardiology Division Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories)
• Inventors: Cholette, Martin, Shkurovich, Sergio
• Primary Examiner(s): Jang, Christian
• Assistant Examiner(s): PREMRAJ, ANGELINE L
• Application Number:
  US13/836,925
• Publication Number:
  US 20140276124A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,894 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1492 having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation A61B18/1477 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00267 having a basket shaped structure
• 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: A61B 2018/00642 with feedback, i.e. closed loop control
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00714 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00744 Fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00791 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00863 Fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0088 Vibration
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2218/002 Irrigation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/026 Measuring blood flow A61B3/1233, A61B3/1241 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/201 Assessing renal or kidney functions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4848 Monitoring or testing the effects of treatment, e.g. of medication
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6858 with a distal basket, e.g. expandable basket
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/022 intracavitary

Abstract

A renal denervation catheter includes a catheter shaft, at least one ablation member, and a sensor, and is operable to perform a renal denervation procedure. The catheter shaft includes a distal end portion insertable into a renal artery. The at least one ablation member is positioned at the distal end portion of the catheter shaft and operable to ablate renal nerves along a wall of the renal artery. The sensor provides information that correlates to blood flow in the renal artery. A change in blood flow rate in the renal artery resulting from the ablation is indicative of the efficacy of the renal denervation procedure.

Claims

1. A renal denervation catheter, comprising:

a catheter shaft having a distal end portion comprising a deployable basket including a plurality of splines;

at least one ablation member positioned on a spline of the deployable basket and configured to provide renal denervation in a renal artery; and

a temperature monitoring system having at least one temperature sensor and configured to calculate a rate of a blood flow through the renal artery based on i) a temperature of a thermal source, wherein the thermal source is configured to increase a temperature of the blood flow and wherein the thermal source is the at least one ablation member, ii) a blood flow temperature measured by the at least one temperature sensor, wherein the measured blood flow temperature is based on operation of the thermal source exposed to the blood flow, and iii) a distance between the thermal source and the at least one temperature sensor, and wherein the deployable basket is expanded or retracted based on performing renal denervation or operating the temperature monitoring system.

2. The renal denervation catheter of claim 1, wherein the at least one ablation member is further configured to provide renal nerve stimulation.

3. The renal denervation catheter of claim 1, wherein the at least one temperature sensor is positioned on a spline of the deployable basket and downstream of the at least one ablation member to monitor a temperature change of the blood flow.

4. The renal denervation catheter of claim 1, wherein the at least one ablation member comprises one of an ultrasound member and a radio frequency member.

5. A method of determining efficacy of a renal denervation procedure in a renal artery, comprising:

providing a renal denervation catheter having at least one ablation member and at least one temperature sensor;

operating the at least one ablation member to provide denervation of renal nerves along the renal artery;

changing a temperature of blood flow upstream of the at least one temperature sensor by operating a thermal source exposed to the blood flow, wherein the thermal source is configured to increase the temperature of blood flow;

determining a blood flow rate through the renal artery prior to and after the denervation based on i) a temperature of the thermal source, wherein the thermal source is the at least one ablation member, ii) a blood flow temperature measured by the at least one temperature sensor, wherein the measured blood flow temperature is based on the operation of the thermal source exposed to the blood flow, and iii) a distance between the thermal source and the at least one temperature sensor; and

determining a change in the blood flow rate through the renal artery as an indicator of efficacy of the denervation.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one ablation member and the at least one temperature sensor are positioned on a deployable basket.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising expanding the deployable basket prior to the denervation and retracting the deployable basket prior to the changing a temperature of blood flow.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising stimulating the renal nerves prior to the denervation.