Methods and devices for renal nerve blocking

Abstract

A method and apparatus for treatment of cardiac and renal diseases associated with the elevated sympathetic renal nerve activity by implanting a device to block the renal nerve signals to and from the kidney. The device can be a drug pump or a drug eluding implant for targeted delivery of a nerve-blocking agent to the periarterial space of the renal artery.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is related and claims priority to the following commonly-owned applications, Ser. No. 60 / 408,665, entitled “Renal Nerve Stimulation Method And Apparatus For Treatment Of Patients” that was filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on Apr. 8, 2003 and provisional applications Ser. No. 60 / 370,190, entitled “Modulation Of Renal Nerve To Treat CHF”, that was filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on Apr. 8, 2002; Ser. No. 60 / 415,575 entitled “Modulation Of Renal Nerve To Treat CHF”, that was filed in the USPTO on Oct. 3, 2002, and Ser. No. 60 / 442,970 entitled “Treatment Of Renal Failure And Hypertension”, that was filed in the USPTO on Jan. 29, 2003. The entirety of each of these applications is incorporated by reference herein.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]This invention relates to devices and methods for local drug delivery, and in particular is directed to an implantable system for targeted delivery of a nerve blocki...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0015]Surgical denervation of the kidney in experimental animals suggested multiple immediate and long-term benefits for patients with cardiac and renal diseases. The most significant potential beneficial effects are: slowing of the progression of CHF, resolution of fluid overload in CHF by induction or enhancement of diuresis, reduction of remodeling after a myocardial infarct, reduction of hypertension and slowing of the progression of chronic renal disease to dialysis. The benefits are achieved via the reduction of the systemic sympathetic tone causing vasoconstriction of blood vessels, reduction of the load on the heart and the direct effects of denervation on the kidney. Both single kidney denervation and bilateral denervation have potential benefits. Surgical denervation has been previously performed in animals and in few humans to control pain. It requires a major surgery and is ineffective in long term, since renal nerves eventually grow back. Additionally, after the surgical denervation, the renal nerve can re-grow in a pathological way and can cause pain and other serious side effects. Since fibrotic changes at the site of denervation make repeat surgical denervation impossible, patients face the possibility of the removal of the kidney to control the pain.

[0016]The inventors suggest an alternative method of reducing or blocking the renal nerve activity in patients by minimally invasive renal nerve modulation. Renal nerve modulation is achieved by controlled infusion of a nerve-blocking agent into the periarterial space of the renal artery of the kidney. The periarterial space is the area surrounding the renal arteries and veins, extending from the aorta and vena cava to and including the area around the kidney itself. Since renal nerves follow the external surface of the renal artery, when an effective concentration of the nerve-blocking agent is present in this periarterial space, the renal nerve activity is substantially reduced or stopped. Methods and devices for both continuous and intermittent periodic blocking of the renal nerve are proposed. These methods and devices provide effective, reversible nerve blocking for a clinically relevant duration of time, while avoiding major surgery and irreparable damage to the nerve that characterize the previously used surgical denervation.

[0018]Implanted pumps can also be refilled with drug without surgery using a transdermal port accessible with a needle, though it is preferable to extend the time between refillings to minimize pain and the risk of infection. The programmable implantable pump embodiment also has an advantage of the periodic drug delivery that can be adjusted up or down using a remote communication link. This is particularly significant in treatment of chronic diseases such as CHF where the continuous constant nerve blocking can result in adaptation (resting of the physiologic gain or compensation) and the loss of therapeutic effect.

Problems solved by technology

It requires a major surgery and is ineffective in long term, since renal nerves eventually grow back.

Additionally, after the surgical denervation, the renal nerve can re-grow in a pathological way and can cause pain and other serious side effects.

Since fibrotic changes at the site of denervation make repeat surgical denervation impossible, patients face the possibility of the removal of the kidney to control the pain.

This is particularly significant in treatment of chronic diseases such as CHF where the continuous constant nerve blocking can result in adaptation (resting of the physiologic gain or compensation) and the loss of therapeutic effect.

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