Methods for renal neuromodulation

摘要

Methods and apparatus are provided for renal neuromodulation using a pulsed electric field to effectuate electroporation or electrofusion. It is expected that renal neuromodulation (e.g., denervation) may, among other things, reduce expansion of an acute myocardial infarction, reduce or prevent the onset of morphological changes that are affiliated with congestive heart failure, and/or be efficacious in the treatment of end stage renal disease. Embodiments of the present invention are configured for extravascular delivery of pulsed electric fields to achieve such neuromodulation.

主权项

1. A method for renal neuromodulation, the method comprising:
positioning a spiral element of a catheter at an extra-arterial location within a human patient and adjacent to neural fibers innervating a kidney of the patient; transforming the spiral element from a low-profile delivery configuration to an expanded treatment configuration, wherein, in the treatment configuration, the spiral element is sized and shaped to place a plurality of individual, discrete electrodes arranged thereabout in apposition with target tissue at or near the neural fibers; and ablating the neural fibers innervating the kidney via radio frequency (RF) energy from the electrodes, wherein ablating the neural fibers innervating the kidney results in a therapeutically beneficial reduction in blood pressure in the patient.