Renal Ablation Nerve Detection Using Blood Pressure Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing RF ablation systems for renal artery procedures rely heavily on physician experience for target site identification, leading to inaccurate ablation and increased risk due to excessive or ineffective treatments.
Innovation Solution
A nerve detection device with a computation and control module, energy generation module, and blood pressure monitoring module to determine ablation targets by monitoring blood pressure responses to applied energy, providing accurate location and control of ablation energy levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If RF ablation is performed based on physician experience and discretion, then the procedure can be conducted with existing equipment, but the identification of ablation target becomes inaccurate leading to excessive ablation or other undesirable surgical effects
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors blood pressure parameters during the ablation procedure and provides real-time feedback to the physician. The blood pressure monitoring module detects changes in blood pressure that indicate the presence of sympathetic nerves, allowing dynamic adjustment of ablation energy delivery based on physiological responses rather than static anatomical landmarks alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces reliance on physician mechanical skill and experience with an automated physiological detection system. The blood pressure monitoring and analysis system objectively identifies ablation targets by detecting physiological responses (blood pressure changes) to RF energy application, substituting human judgment with instrument-based measurement.
2Reliability
If RF energy is applied without accurate target identification, then the procedure can proceed quickly, but excessive ablation occurs exposing the patient to high risk
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of sympathetic nerve locations by applying low-level RF energy and monitoring blood pressure responses before delivering therapeutic ablation energy. This preliminary mapping phase identifies precise target sites, ensuring that subsequent high-energy ablation is delivered only to locations where sympathetic nerves are present, preventing excessive ablation of non-target tissues.
Solution Approach 2:
Real-time blood pressure monitoring provides continuous feedback during the ablation procedure. When blood pressure changes indicate successful nerve targeting, the system confirms appropriate energy delivery. This feedback mechanism prevents excessive ablation by allowing the physician to stop energy delivery once the therapeutic effect is achieved, rather than relying on fixed treatment protocols.
3Measurement precision
If blood pressure monitoring is implemented to detect ablation targets, then target identification accuracy improves, but the device complexity and monitoring requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The blood pressure monitoring system serves multiple functions: it monitors general hemodynamic status during the procedure, detects sympathetic nerve presence through blood pressure responses to RF energy, and provides feedback on treatment efficacy. This multi-functional approach consolidates what could be separate complex systems into a single integrated monitoring platform.
Solution Approach 2:
Blood pressure serves as an intermediary parameter that translates complex physiological responses to sympathetic nerve stimulation into a simple, measurable metric. Rather than directly measuring nerve activity or anatomical position, the system uses blood pressure changes as an intermediate indicator that correlates with sympathetic nerve presence and ablation effectiveness.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables precise identification of ablation targets, reducing excessive or ineffective ablation, enhancing surgical safety and effectiveness, and improving cure rates.
Implementation Method 1
detect a given site in an artery by outputting energy to the detecting catheter
Implementation Method 2
monitor a patient's blood pressure prior to and during the detecting for the given site
Implementation Method 3
identify a patient's blood pressure variation pattern during the detecting for the given site and determine that there is an ablation target at the given site
Data Source
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AI summary
An ablation system and a nerve detection device thereof. The nerve detection device includes a power supply module (10), a computation and control module (20), an energy generation module (30) and a blood pressure monitoring module (40). The computation and control module (20) is electrically connected to both the energy generation module (30) and the blood pressure monitoring module (40). The energy generation module (30) is configured to connect to a detecting catheter (50) and to detect a given site in an artery by outputting first energy to the detecting catheter (50). The blood pressure monitoring module (40) is configured to connect to a blood pressure sensor (60). The blood pressure sensor (60) is configured to monitor a patient's blood pressure prior to and during the detecting of the given site by the energy generation module (30) with the first energy and to output the blood pressure monitoring result. The blood pressure monitoring module (40) is further configured to transmit the blood pressure monitoring result to the computation and control module (20). The computation and control module (20) is configured to determine, based on the blood pressure monitoring result, whether there is an ablation target at the given site. The detecting allows accurate location of an ablation target in an ablation procedure, which results in improved effectiveness and safety of the ablation procedure.