Ablation targeting nerves in or near the inferior vena cava and/or abdominal aorta for treatment of hypertension

摘要

A method for the treatment of a patient for the purpose of lowering blood pressure and/or treating other medical conditions such as cardiac arrhythmias. A catheter having an ablation element is placed inside the body of a patient and is directed to a targeted location either on in the abdominal aorta where the right or left renal arteries branch from the aorta at or near the superior junction or ostia or on the inside of the inferior vena cava near the junction with the right renal vein or in the left renal vein at a position spatially near where the left renal artery branches from the abdominal aorta. Catheters designed for use in the method where these targeted locations are also disclosed and claimed.

主权项

1. An apparatus for the ablation of tissue at the target location in the abdominal aorta, inferior vena cava and/or left renal vein comprising:
an elongated tubular body having a distal tip with a plurality of cantilevered spines disposed thereon, wherein the plurality of spines can move from a retracted state to a free state, the spines being configured such that in the free state each spine has a free unsupported distal end that can move independently of the elongate tubular body, and wherein in the free state the distal end of each spine is not directly attached to the distal end of any one of the other spines; and, an ablation element disposed on the free distal end of each spine.