Systems, devices, and associated methods for neuromodulation in heterogeneous tissue environments

Abstract

Systems and methods for neuromodulation therapy are disclosed herein. A method in accordance with embodiments of the present technology can include, for example, intravascularly positioning a plurality of ablation electrodes within a blood vessel lumen at a treatment site. The method can include analyzing a renal neuromodulation target site of a patient to obtain patient-specific data related to the renal neuromodulation target site, and based on the patient specific data, delivering neuromodulation treatment to the patient via one or more of the ablation electrodes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 analyzing a neuromodulation target site of a patient to obtain patient-specific data related to the neuromodulation target site;   based on the obtained patient-specific data, updating one or more parameters of an algorithm for delivering neuromodulation therapy via one or more therapy delivery elements of a catheter; and   at least partially ablating nerves of the patient at the neuromodulation target site via neuromodulation therapy delivered via the one or more therapy delivery elements,   wherein the neuromodulation therapy is delivered via the one or more therapy delivery elements according to the updated parameters of the algorithm.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein analyzing the neuromodulation target site includes performing at least one of imaging, modeling, or mapping of the neuromodulation target site. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more therapy delivery elements comprises ablation electrodes, and wherein analyzing the neuromodulation target site includes determining distances between the ablation electrodes, or impedance data of different combinations of the ablation electrodes. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the patient specific data relates to at least one of electrical properties, thermal properties, or thickness and configuration of tissue at the neuromodulation target site. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein analyzing the neuromodulation target site is performed while the neuromodulation therapy is being delivered to the patient via the one or more therapy delivery elements. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 after at least partially ablating the nerves, re-analyzing the neuromodulation target site to obtain a second set of patient-specific data related to the neuromodulation target site;   based on the obtained second set of patient-specific data, further updating one or more parameters of the algorithm; and   at least partially ablating the nerves of the patient at the neuromodulation target site via neuromodulation therapy delivered via the one or more of the therapy delivery elements according to the further updated parameters of the algorithm.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the neuromodulation therapy comprises at least one of electrically-induced, thermally-induced, or chemically-induced ablation of the nerves. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the neuromodulation target site comprises a renal neuromodulation target site, and wherein at least partially ablating the nerves of the patient comprises at least partially ablating renal nerves of the patient. 
     
     
         9 . A system comprising:
 a medical device; and   circuitry configured to:
 analyze a neuromodulation target site of a patient to obtain patient-specific data related to the neuromodulation target site, 
 based on the obtained patient-specific data, update one or more parameters of an algorithm for delivering neuromodulation therapy via one or more therapy delivery elements of a catheter, and 
 cause the medical device to at least partially ablate nerves of the patient at the neuromodulation target site via neuromodulation therapy delivered via the one or more therapy delivery elements according to the updated parameters of the algorithm. 
   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising the catheter, the catheter including:
 an elongated shaft having a distal portion configured to be intravascularly positioned at the neuromodulation target site; and   the one or more therapy delivery elements coupled to the elongated shaft.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the medical device comprises the circuitry. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the circuitry is configured to receive at least one of imaging, modeling, or a mapping of the neuromodulation target site and analyze the target site based on the at least one of imaging, modeling, or a mapping of the neuromodulation target site. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more therapy delivery elements comprises ablation electrodes, and wherein to analyze the neuromodulation target site, the circuitry is configured to determine distances between the ablation electrodes, or impedance data of different combinations of the ablation electrodes. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the patient specific data relates to at least one of electrical properties, thermal properties, or thickness and configuration of tissue at the neuromodulation target site. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the circuitry is configured to analyze the neuromodulation target site while the medical device is delivering the neuromodulation therapy to the neuromodulation target site via the one or more therapy delivery elements. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to:
 after the nerves are at least partially ablated, re-analyze the neuromodulation target site to obtain a second set of patient-specific data related to the neuromodulation target site;   based on the obtained second set of patient-specific data, further update one or more parameters of the algorithm; and   cause the medical device to at least partially ablate the nerves of the patient at the neuromodulation target site via neuromodulation therapy delivered via the one or more of the therapy delivery elements according to the further updated parameters of the algorithm.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the medical device is configured to deliver neuromodulation therapy comprising at least one of electrically-induced, thermally-induced, or chemically-induced ablation therapy. 
     
     
         18 . A system, comprising:
 a medical device; and   circuitry configured to:
 analyze a renal neuromodulation target site of a patient to obtain patient-specific data related to the renal neuromodulation target site, 
 based on the obtained patient-specific data, update one or more parameters of an algorithm for delivering renal neuromodulation energy via a renal neuromodulation catheter, and 
 at least partially ablate renal nerves of the patient at the renal neuromodulation target site via renal neuromodulation energy delivered via renal neuromodulation catheter according to the updated parameters of the algorithm. 
   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the circuitry is configured to receive at least one of imaging, modeling, or a mapping of the neuromodulation target site and analyze the target site based on the at least one of imaging, modeling, or a mapping of the neuromodulation target site. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the patient specific data relates to at least one of electrical properties, thermal properties, or thickness and configuration of tissue at the renal neuromodulation target site.