Method and apparatus for treatment of hypertension through percutaneous ultrasound renal denervation
First Claim
1. A method for inactivating renal nerve conduction in a mammalian subject, the method comprising:
- inserting an ultrasound transducer into a renal artery of the mammalian subject, wherein the ultrasound transducer is positioned along a distal end of a catheter, the catheter comprising a balloon mounted along the distal end of the catheter such that the ultrasound transducer is disposed within the balloon;
inflating the balloon such that the balloon engages an inner wall of the renal artery and the ultrasound transducer is positioned within the renal artery;
delivering cooled liquid to the balloon to cool an intima layer of the renal artery; and
actuating the ultrasound transducer to cause the ultrasound transducer to emit a therapeutic dose of unfocused ultrasound energy through the intima layer and into an impact volume of at least 0.5 cm3 disposed in an adventitia layer comprising renal nerves of the renal artery to inactivate conduction of the renal nerves in the impact volume without causing damage to the intima layer of the renal artery.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and methods for deactivating renal nerves extending along a renal artery of a mammalian subject to treat hypertension and related conditions. An ultrasonic transducer (30) is inserted into the renal artery (10) as, for example, by advancing the distal end of a catheter (18) bearing the transducer into the renal artery. The ultrasonic transducer emits unfocused ultrasound so as to heat tissues throughout a relatively large impact volume (11) as, for example, at least about 0.5 cm3 encompassing the renal artery to a temperature sufficient to inactivate nerve conduction but insufficient to cause rapid ablation or necrosis of the tissues. The treatment can be performed without locating or focusing on individual renal nerves.
256 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for inactivating renal nerve conduction in a mammalian subject, the method comprising:
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inserting an ultrasound transducer into a renal artery of the mammalian subject, wherein the ultrasound transducer is positioned along a distal end of a catheter, the catheter comprising a balloon mounted along the distal end of the catheter such that the ultrasound transducer is disposed within the balloon; inflating the balloon such that the balloon engages an inner wall of the renal artery and the ultrasound transducer is positioned within the renal artery; delivering cooled liquid to the balloon to cool an intima layer of the renal artery; and actuating the ultrasound transducer to cause the ultrasound transducer to emit a therapeutic dose of unfocused ultrasound energy through the intima layer and into an impact volume of at least 0.5 cm3 disposed in an adventitia layer comprising renal nerves of the renal artery to inactivate conduction of the renal nerves in the impact volume without causing damage to the intima layer of the renal artery. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification