Ultrasonic Catheter for Renal Denervation
AssigneeMedtronic Ardian Luxembourg S.a.r.l.
InventorsSowmya G. Ballakur, Benjamin J. Clark
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Abstract
Catheter apparatuses, systems, and methods for achieving renal neuromodulation by intravascular access are disclosed herein. One aspect of the present technology, for example, is directed to a treatment device including a therapeutic assembly having a PVDF transducer. A method for tissue denervation through the application of ultrasonic energy, can include positioning a PVDF transducer within a blood vessel of a patient; applying RF energy to the PVDF transducer thereby causing the PVDF transducer to deliver ultrasonic energy to the tissue; and at least partially denervating tissue that is innervated by neural matter located within or in proximity to the blood vessel via the ultrasonic energy delivered to the tissue.
Claims24
1-37. (canceled)
An ultrasound apparatus for thermally-induced renal neuromodulation, the apparatus comprising:
- a catheter configured for intravascular placement within a renal blood vessel of a human patient;
- and
- a therapeutic assembly positioned along the catheter, wherein the therapeutic assembly comprises a polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) ultrasound transducer configured to transmit ultrasound waves to target neural fibers along the renal blood vessel to achieve thermal renal neuromodulation via heating,
- wherein the PVDF ultrasound transducer is configured to transmit the ultrasound waves over less than a full 360° about the blood vessel.
A catheter apparatus, comprising:
- an elongated shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion;
- and
- a therapeutic assembly at the distal portion of the elongated shaft and sized to be located within a renal artery of a human patient,
- wherein the therapeutic assembly comprises a polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) ultrasound transducer configured to be shaped in situ relative to the wall of the renal artery, and wherein the shaped PVDF ultrasound transducer is configured to transmit ultrasound energy to a localized region of target neural tissue adjacent the wall of the renal artery,
- wherein the therapeutic assembly is configured to engage at least a portion of a wall of the renal artery during transmission of the ultrasound waves to the target neural fibers.
A method of performing renal neuromodulation, the method comprising:
- positioning a catheter having a therapeutic assembly into contact with a wall of a renal blood vessel of a human patient and proximate to neural fibers associated with renal function, wherein the therapeutic assembly comprises a polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) ultrasound transducer;
- and
- thermally inhibiting neural communication along the neural fibers via ultrasound waves from the PVDF ultrasound transducer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.