Method for treating hypertensive patients via renal neuromodulation

Abstract

A method and apparatus for treatment of heart failure, hypertension and renal failure by stimulating the renal nerve. The goal of therapy is to reduce sympathetic activity of the renal nerve. Therapy is accomplished by at least partially blocking the nerve with drug infusion or electrostimulation. Apparatus can be permanently implanted or catheter based.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method for reducing blood pressure in a human patient, the method comprising:
 intravascularly positioning a therapeutic element within a renal blood vessel and proximate to a renal nerve innervating a kidney of the patient; and   delivering a chemical agent via the therapeutic element to modulate neural function of the renal nerve,   wherein modulating neural function of the renal nerve results in a therapeutically beneficial reduction in blood pressure of the patient.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein intravascularly positioning a therapeutic element within a renal blood vessel comprises positioning the therapeutic element within a renal artery of the patient. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21  wherein intravascularly positioning a therapeutic element within a renal blood vessel comprises positioning the therapeutic element in contact with an inner wall of a renal artery of the patient. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21  wherein delivering a chemical agent via the therapeutic element to modulate neural function of the renal nerve comprises partially ablating the renal nerve. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21  wherein delivering a chemical agent via the therapeutic element to modulate neural function of the renal nerve comprises ablating the renal nerve. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising monitoring a parameter of the therapeutic element and/or a physiological parameter of the patient before and during delivery of the chemical agent. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising altering delivery of the chemical agent based on the monitored parameter. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21  wherein intravascularly positioning a therapeutic element within a renal blood vessel comprises intravascularly positioning a distal portion of a catheter carrying the therapeutic element within a renal artery of and adjacent to the renal nerve while a proximal portion of the catheter remains external to the patient. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising removing the therapeutic element from the renal blood vessel after delivering the chemical agent. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 21  wherein delivering the chemical agent comprises delivering alcohol. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 21  wherein delivering the chemical agent comprises delivering alcohol. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 21  wherein delivering the chemical agent comprises delivering phenol. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 21  wherein delivering the chemical agent comprises delivering a nerve toxin that blocks or attenuates neural signaling along the renal nerve. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 21  wherein delivering the chemical agent comprises delivering botulinum toxin. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 21  wherein modulating neural function of the renal nerve further comprises denervating the kidney of the patient. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 21  wherein modulating neural function of the renal nerve comprises blocking neural traffic to and/or from the kidney of the patient.