Staggered Ablation Elements for Renal Denervation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current device-based renal denervation methods for hypertension risk complications such as renal artery/vein stenosis, and existing pharmacological therapies fail to adequately control blood pressure in patients with resistant hypertension.
Innovation Solution
An ablation catheter with staggered ablation elements that span open arc segments around the longitudinal axis, reducing the risk of renal artery/vein stenosis while achieving complete renal denervation by forming a substantially closed loop when projected onto a lateral plane, utilizing RF electrodes and resilient biasing members for effective nerve modulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If device-based renal denervation is performed to block renal sympathetic nerve activity, then blood pressure control is improved, but renal artery/vein stenosis occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter is divided into multiple discrete ablation elements (at least three elements) that can be independently positioned and activated. Each element creates a localized ablation zone, allowing the renal nerves to be segmented and ablated in multiple discrete locations rather than creating a continuous circumferential lesion that would cause stenosis.
Solution Approach 2:
The ablation elements are arranged in a staggered configuration around the longitudinal axis of the renal artery, creating ablation zones that span open arc segments in the longitudinal dimension while forming a substantially closed loop when projected onto the lateral plane. This three-dimensional arrangement achieves complete neural coverage without continuous circumferential stenosis.
2Reliability
If ablation zones form a closed loop around the longitudinal axis to ensure complete renal denervation, then denervation completeness is improved, but renal artery/vein stenosis risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ablation elements are arranged in a staggered configuration around the longitudinal axis, creating ablation zones that span open arc segments in the longitudinal dimension while forming a substantially closed loop when projected onto the lateral plane. This three-dimensional arrangement achieves complete neural coverage without continuous circumferential stenosis.
Solution Approach 2:
The continuous closed loop is segmented into discrete ablation zones created by individual ablation elements. The ablation zones are distributed around the longitudinal axis with gaps between them, allowing complete denervation while preventing continuous circumferential stenosis through segmentation of the ablation pattern.
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
The solution effectively reduces the risk of renal artery/vein stenosis while ensuring complete renal denervation, improving blood pressure control in patients with resistant hypertension.
Implementation Method 1
each ablation element to be energized to produce an ablation zone
Implementation Method 2
The plurality of ablation elements are RF electrodes
Data Source
AI summary
An ablation catheter comprises a catheter body extending longitudinally between a proximal end and a distal end along a longitudinal axis; and an ablation element assembly comprising ablation elements connected to the catheter body, each ablation element to be energized to produce an ablation zone. The ablation elements are distributed in a staggered configuration such that the ablation zones of the ablation elements span one or more open arc segments around the longitudinal axis, but the ablation zones of all ablation elements projected longitudinally onto any lateral plane which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis span a substantially closed loop around the longitudinal axis. Since the ablation zones do not form a closed loop, the risk of renal artery/vein stenosis is reduced or eliminated. Since the ablation zones of all ablation elements projected longitudinally onto any lateral plane span a substantially closed loop, substantially complete renal denervation is achieved.