Devices, Systems, and Methods for Specialization of Neuromodulation Treatment

A system, comprising:

• an intravascular catheter comprising an elongated shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion, wherein the distal portion comprises multiple energy delivery elements configured to be positioned within a blood vessel of a human patient and at least proximate to neural fibers associated with sympathetic neural function of the patient;
• and
• an energy source configured for connection to the energy delivery elements and configured to deliver energy via the energy delivery elements to the neural fibers;
• and
• wherein the energy source comprises a controller including memory and processing circuitry, the memory storing instructions that, when executed by the controller using the processing circuitry, cause the controller to—
• obtain a first data set associated with a first energy delivery element of the multiple energy delivery elements, wherein the first data set includes a first impedance parameter and a first temperature parameter;
• obtain a second data set associated with a second energy delivery element of the multiple energy delivery elements, wherein the second energy delivery element is spaced apart from the first energy delivery element by an element separation distance, and wherein the second data set includes a second impedance parameter and a second temperature parameter;
• and
• determine a blood flow velocity in the blood vessel at or otherwise proximate to the therapeutic assembly based on the first data set and the second data set.

A method, comprising:

• transluminally positioning an energy delivery element at a treatment site within or at least proximate to a renal blood vessel of a human patient and at least proximate to nerves associated with sympathetic neural function of the patient;
• and
• prior to delivering energy via the energy delivery element—
• obtaining data including an impedance parameter associated with the energy delivery element and/or a temperature parameter associated with the energy delivery element;
• based on the data, characterizing movement of the energy delivery element relative to the treatment site;
• and
• providing an indication of the characterization to a clinician and, if the characterization is outside of a predetermined range, instructing the clinician to reposition the energy delivery element.

A method, comprising:

• transluminally positioning an energy delivery element at a treatment site within a renal blood vessel of a human patient;
• and
• prior to delivering energy via the energy delivery element—
• monitoring an energy delivery element temperature at or at least proximate to the energy delivery element at the treatment site;
• monitoring an energy delivery element impedance at or at least proximate to the energy delivery element at the treatment site;
• detecting an increase in the energy delivery element impedance during a time period;
• comparing the impedance increase to a pre-determined threshold and/or range;
• determining whether the energy delivery element temperature decreased during the time period;
• characterizing the impedance increase based on the temperature determination;
• and
• providing an indication of the characterization to a clinician.

A system, comprising:

• an intravascular catheter comprising an elongated shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion, wherein the distal portion comprises an energy delivery element configured to be positioned within a blood vessel of a human patient at least proximate to neural fibers associated with sympathetic neural function of the patient;
• and
• an energy source configured for connection to the energy delivery element and configured to deliver energy via the energy delivery element to the neural fibers;
• and
• wherein the energy source comprises a controller including memory and processing circuitry, the memory storing instructions that, when executed by the controller using the processing circuitry, cause—
• the controller to—
• monitor an energy delivery element temperature and an energy delivery element impedance, both measured at or at least proximate to the energy delivery element;
• detect an increase in the energy delivery element impedance over a time period;
• determine whether the energy delivery element temperature decreased during the time period;
• the display to indicate a characterization of the abrupt increase in the energy delivery element impedance, wherein the characterization communicates to the clinician that the cause of the detected impedance parameter was (a) a contrast event if the energy delivery element temperature decreased during the time period, or (b) one or more patient movements if the energy delivery element temperature did not decrease during the time period.

A method, comprising:

• transluminally positioning an energy delivery element at a treatment site within a renal blood vessel of a human patient;
• and
• prior to delivering energy via the energy delivery element—
• monitoring an energy delivery element impedance at or at least proximate to the energy delivery element at the treatment site;
• comparing the energy delivery element impedance to a pre-determined range;
• detecting a movement of the energy delivery element relative to the treatment site based on the comparison;
• determining one or more impedance parameters based on the energy delivery element impedance during a specified time period;
• after detecting the movement, characterizing the movement based on the one or more impedance parameters during the specified time period;
• providing an indication of the characterization to a clinician and, if the one or more impedance parameters are outside of a predetermined range, instructing the clinician to reposition the energy delivery element.

A system, comprising:

• an intravascular neuromodulation catheter comprising an elongated shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion, wherein the distal portion comprises an energy delivery element configured to be positioned within a renal blood vessel of a human patient and at least proximate to renal nerves of the patient;
• a console external to the patient and electrically coupled to the energy delivery element, wherein the console is configured to deliver radio frequency (RF) energy to the renal nerves via the energy delivery element;
• a display operably connected to the console;
• and
• a controller operably connected to the console and the display, the controller including memory and processing circuitry, the memory storing instructions that, when executed by the controller using the processing circuitry, cause—
• the controller to—
• monitor an energy delivery element impedance at or at least proximate to the energy delivery element at the treatment site;
• compare the energy delivery element impedance to a pre-determined range;
• detect a movement of the energy delivery element relative to the treatment site based on the comparison;
• determine one or more impedance parameters based on the energy delivery element impedance during a specified time period;
• characterize the movement based on the one or more impedance parameters during the specified time period;
• the display to indicate a characterization of the movement of the energy delivery element at the treatment site based on the impedance measurement and (a) if the one or more impedance parameters are outside of a predetermined range, instructing the clinician to reposition the energy delivery element (b) if the characterization is within the predetermined range, instruct the clinician to initiate energy delivery to the renal nerves via the energy delivery element.