Systems and Methods for Electroporation

Abstract

This document describes methods and materials for improving treatment of hypertension. For example, this document describes methods and devices for electroporation of nerves in the renal area to treat hypertension.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for treating hypertension, the system comprising:
 a first electrode and a second electrode disposed in a renal area of a patient;   a pulse generator coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode;   a sensor;   a memory that is capable of storing computer executable instructions; and   a processor that is configured to facilitate execution of the executable instructions stored in the memory, wherein the instructions cause the processor to:
 generate, using the pulse generator, a first stimulation electrical current between the first electrode and the second electrode to stimulate the renal area; 
 detect, using the sensor, a first change in blood pressure of the patient resulting from the first stimulation electrical current; and 
 in response to detecting the first change in blood pressure of the patient, generate an electrical current at the renal area. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
 repeat the generating the first stimulation electrical current between the first electrode and the second electrode according to a sequence of predefined electrode configurations of the first electrode and the second electrode.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the generating the electrical current further comprises generating pulses having nanosecond wide pulse widths. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
 change both the first electrode and the second electrode to an anode or a cathode;   generate, using the pulse generator, a second stimulation electrical current; and   detect, using the sensor, a second change in blood pressure of the patient resulting from the second stimulation electrical current.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
 generate, using the pulse generator, a second stimulation electrical current; and   detect, using the sensor, a second change in blood pressure of the patient resulting from the second stimulation electrical current.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
 in response to detecting the second change in blood pressure of the patient, changing an electrode configuration of the first electrode and the second electrode.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the changing the electrode configuration of the first electrode and the second electrode comprises at least one of:
 changing a polarity of the first electrode or the second electrode; and   changing a parameter for the second stimulation electrical current.   
     
     
         8 . A method of treating hypertension, comprising:
 disposing a first electrode and a second electrode in a renal area of a patient;   generating, using a pulse generator, a first stimulation electrical current between the first electrode and the second electrode to simulate the renal area;   detecting, using a sensor, a first change in blood pressure of the patient resulting from the first stimulation electrical current; and   in response to detecting the first change in blood pressure of the patient, generating an electrical current at the renal area.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the disposing further comprises disposing the first and second electrodes near sites of autonomic nervous tissue in the renal area of the patient. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the disposing further comprises disposing the first and second electrodes adjacent at least one of a renal vein, a renal artery, and a renal pelvis. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 repeating the generating the first stimulation electrical current between the first electrode and the second electrode according to a sequence of predefined electrode configurations of the first electrode and the second electrode.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the generating the electrical current further comprises generating pulses having nanosecond pulse widths. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 changing both the first electrode and the second electrode to an anode or a cathode;   generating, using the pulse generator, a second stimulation electrical current; and   detecting, using the sensor, a second change in blood pressure of the patient resulting from the second stimulation electrical current.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 generating, using the pulse generator, a second stimulation electrical current; and   detecting, using the sensor, a second change in blood pressure of the patient resulting from the second stimulation electrical current.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 in response to detecting the second change in blood pressure of the patient, changing an electrode configuration of the first electrode and the second electrode.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the changing the electrode configuration of the first electrode and the second electrode comprises at least one of:
 changing a polarity of the first electrode or the second electrode; and   changing a parameter for the second stimulation electrical current.   
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one computing device, causes the at least one computing device to perform operations comprising:
 generating, via a pulse generator, a first stimulation electrical current between a first electrode and a second electrode disposed in a renal area of a patient to simulate the renal area;   detecting, via a sensor, a first change in blood pressure of the patient resulting from the first stimulation electrical current; and   in response to detecting the first change in blood pressure of the patient, generating an electrical current at the renal area.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the generating the electrical current further comprises generating pulses having nanosecond pulse widths. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 generating, using the pulse generator, a second stimulation electrical current; and   detecting, using the sensor, a second change in blood pressure of the patient resulting from the second stimulation electrical current. in response to detecting the second change in blood pressure of the patient, changing an electrode configuration of the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the changing the electrode configuration comprises at least one of:   changing a polarity of the first electrode or the second electrode; and   changing a parameter for the second stimulation electrical current.