Method and apparatus employing ultrasound energy to remodulate vascular nerves
OwnerAlan Schaerinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus for treating hypertension and other vessel dilation conditions provide for delivering acoustic energy to a vascular nerve to remodel the tissue and nerves surrounding the vessel. In the case of treating hypertension, a catheter carrying an ultrasonic or other transducer is introduced to the renal vessel, and acoustic energy is delivered to the tissue containing nerves to remodel the tissue and remodulate the nerves.
Claims31
A method for remodeling outer vascular and/or extra-vascular tissue containing nerve conduction pathways, said method comprising:
- providing a catheter having a proximal end, a distal end, a cylindrical transducer near the distal end, and a balloon surrounding the transducer,
- positioning the catheter to locate the balloon at a target site in a blood vessel of a patient;
- inflating the balloon with an acoustically transmissive medium, wherein the balloon is engaged against a vessel wall;
- cooling the vessel wall where the balloon is engaged;
- and
- energizing the transducer to transmit acoustic energy through the acoustically transmissive fluid to vascular nerves under conditions selected to induce nerve remodeling in at least a portion of the tissue circumferentially surrounding the balloon in the blood vessel.
Apparatus for remodeling the outer vascular and/or extra-vascular tissue containing nerve conduction pathways, said apparatus comprising:
- a catheter adapted to be intravascularly introduced into a blood vessel;
- an inflatable balloon disposed near a distal end of the catheter;
- and
- means for inflating the balloon with an acoustically transmissive medium;
- a means to cool the luminal surface of the blood vessel
- a cylindrical transducer on the catheter inside the balloon, wherein said transducer has a length, an outer surface, and an inner surface wherein the transducer can be energized to deliver acoustic energy to remodel the outer vascular and/or extra-vascular tissue containing nerve conduction pathways when said balloon is inflated within the blood vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.