Treatment of Kidney Disease by Renal Pelvis Ablation

A method for treating hypertension, the method comprising:

• inserting a sheath through a ureter of a patient into a renal pelvis of the patient such that a distal end of the sheath is positioned within the renal pelvis or within a transition region where the ureter expands to meet the renal pelvis;
• providing in the sheath an elongate member bearing a plurality of electrodes, the elongate member having an expanded shape when unconstrained and having a compact shape when constrained by the sheath;
• advancing the electrode-bearing member from the sheath such that the electrode-bearing member transitions from the compact shape toward the expanded shape;
• applying a vacuum to collapse the walls of the renal pelvis such that renal pelvic tissue of a renal pelvic wall of the renal pelvis contacts each of the electrodes of the plurality of electrodes of the electrode-bearing member;
• and
• applying radio frequency energy to the plurality of electrodes to contemporaneously create a plurality of discrete lesions in the renal pelvic tissue to damage and disrupt the function of nerves contained in the renal pelvic wall.