Apparatuses for thermally-induced renal neuromodulation

An apparatus for thermally-induced renal neuromodulation, the apparatus comprising:

• a device sized and shaped for delivery within a blood vessel to a vicinity of a neural fiber that contributes to renal function, the device being adapted to receive a thermal fluid for removing heat to protect non-target tissue of the wall of the blood vessel;
• a thermal modulation element at least proximate to the device, the thermal modulation element being configured to expand from a first dimension to a second dimension, and
• a balloon at least proximate to the thermal modulation element and capable of expanding the thermal modulation element from the first dimension to the second dimension,
• wherein the thermal modulation element is configured to contact, but not pass through, a wall of the blood vessel upon expansion of the thermal modulation element to the second dimension within the blood vessel, and
• wherein the thermal modulation element comprises at least one electrode configured to transmit a thermal electric field to the neural fiber to thermally induce modulation of a function of the neural fiber when the thermal modulation element is at the second dimension within the blood vessel.