System and method for denervation

A catheter apparatus for treatment of a human patient, the catheter apparatus having a central axis and comprising:

• a shaping structure having a distal end and a proximal end and a length therebetween, the shaping structure being moveable between a delivery state having a first helical shape, and a deployed state having a second helical shape;
• a plurality of electrodes that are carried by the shaping structure, the electrodes being positioned with one electrode at the proximal end, one electrode at the distal end, and at least one electrode between the proximal end and the distal end, and wherein the electrodes are spaced apart from one another;
• a plurality of electric wires, wherein each of the electrodes is connected to at least one electric wire, the at least one electric wire extending via the proximal end of the shaping structure to a proximally positioned electric energy supply source;
• and
• a deployment member operably coupled to the distal end of the shaping structure and disposed parallel to the central axis, the deployment member being configured such that distal axial movement of the deployment member places the shaping structure in the delivery state, and proximal axial movement of the deployment member places the shaping structure in the deployed state;
• wherein, the shaping structure is configured to have a reverse taper with a structural diameter that varies over the length of the shaping structure such that the structural diameter of the shaping structure at the proximal end is smaller than the structural diameter of the shaping structure at the distal end, whereby the diameter of the shaping structure at the location of each successive electrode, moving in the distal direction, is larger than the diameter of the shaping structure at the location of the adjacent proximally spaced electrode.