Active blood pressure feedback for renal denervation

A system for renal denervation treatment comprising:

• an ablation catheter including:
• a catheter shaft;
• an expandable balloon coupled to the catheter shaft;
• a plurality of electrode assemblies mounted on the expandable balloon;
• an ultrasound ablation transducer;
• a blood pressure sensor;
• and
• a control unit operatively coupled to the ablation catheter, the control unit configured to:
• measure, via the blood pressure sensor, a baseline blood pressure at or proximate to a target site in a vessel;
• deliver electrical stimulation through the electrode assemblies at or proximate to the target site, wherein the electrical stimulation is configured to induce a change in blood pressure at the target site;
• measure, via the blood pressure sensor, a blood pressure response subsequent to delivery of the electrical stimulation;
• determine a blood pressure difference between the baseline blood pressure and the blood pressure response;
• compare the blood pressure difference to a blood pressure change threshold;
• and
• selectively deliver ablation energy, via the ultrasound ablation transducer, based on the comparison of the blood pressure difference to the blood pressure change threshold.

A method for renal denervation treatment comprising:

• positioning an ablation catheter having an expandable balloon with an ablation element, electrode assemblies, and a blood pressure sensor in a renal artery;
• measuring a baseline blood pressure of a patient using the blood pressure sensor while the blood pressure sensor is in the renal artery;
• expanding the balloon to position the electrode assemblies against an artery wall of the renal artery;
• delivering an electrical stimulation with the electrode assemblies to a wall of the renal artery;
• measuring, via the blood pressure sensor, a blood pressure response of the patient to the electrical stimulation;
• and
• selectively delivering ablation energy with the ablation element based on the measured blood pressure response to the electrical stimulation.