Dr Hallak, who has already designed a catheter used in renal artery stenting, has designed a new catheter to improve the performance of the current technology used in
Renal Nerve Ablation, and which is currently under evaluation in the US.
based The Foundry LLC (a medical device incubator), was intrigued by the pair's invention, particularly with research that showed a relationship between the removal of
renal nerves and improvements in cardiovascular health.
To study the association between the changes in renal haemodynamics and excretory function, several biochemical parameters were measured and the changes in basal renal haemodynamic parameters and renal vasoconstrictor responses to
renal nerve stimulation (RNS) were recorded.
Unlike other methods which rely on a catheter emitting therapeutic energy through the wall of the renal artery to affect the
renal nerves, Kona's external Surround Sound(TM) technology uses a novel method of treating the nerves from outside the patient.
Dr Dasgupta said: "Surround Sound therapy may target the
renal nerves more accurately than catheter-based renal denervation.
Renal nerves are not necessary for onset or maintenance of DOC-salt hypertension in rats.
Similar to angioplasty, renal denervation involves snaking a catheter through the femoral artery up to the renal arteries, where it uses heat to deactivate the
renal nerves (in the kidneys) which, in theory, lowers blood pressure.
The
renal nerves are arborized around the renal arteries and lie within the adventitial layer of the vessel (Figure 2).
Sulaiman Al-Habib Specialist Hospital has succeeded in helping five patients with chronic hypertension using second-generation devices to cauterize
renal nerves via catheter.
We know the
renal nerves play a crucial role in blood pressure elevation and this study shows those nerves can be targeted with renal denervation without major side effects," Dr Esler added.
In a newly developed approach, a catheter is introduced percutaneously to the lumen of the main renal artery via femoral access and used to disrupt
renal nerves located in the adventitia of these arteries by using radiofrequency energy.