Methods and devices for renal nerve blocking
View Patent ↗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 eluting implant for targeted delivery of a nerve-blocking agent to the periarterial space of the renal artery.
1. A method for at least partially blocking a renal nerve of a kidney of a human patient for the purpose of treating a cardiorenal disease comprising:
a. implanting a drug delivery catheter in a periarterial space of the kidney;
b. implanting a drug infusion pump in the body of the patient;
c. connecting the drug infusion pump to the said catheter; and
d. delivering a nerve-blocking agent to the periarterial space.
2. A method as in claim 1 including an additional step of applying an electric charge to the implanted catheter to determine the effectiveness of the blocking of the renal nerve.
3. A method as in claim 2 where the electric charge is applied by the drug infusion pump.
4. A method as in claim 1 where the nerve-blocking agent is selected from the group consisting of a local anesthetic, ketamine, tricyclic antidepressant and neurotoxin.
5. A method as in claim 1 where the nerve-blocking agent is combined with a steroid.
6. A method for at least partially blocking a renal nerve of a kidney of a human patient for the purpose of treating a cardiorenal disease comprising:
a. implanting a drug delivery device in a periarterial space of the kidney; and
b. delivering a nerve-blocking drug to the periarterial space.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the drug delivery device comprises a drug delivery catheter.
8. A method as in claim 7 wherein the catheter is implanted in the renal fatpad.
9. A method as in claim 7 where the catheter implanted in the periarterial space is made of a porous material permeable to the nerve-blocking agent.
10. A method as in claim 7 where the catheter is coiled around the renal artery.
11. A method as in claim 7 where the catheter is made of a porous material adapted to receive ingrowth of tissue.
12. A method as in claim 6 where the step of delivering a nerve-blocking drug to the periarterial space is performed periodically.
13. The method of claim 6 wherein the drug delivery device comprises a drug eluting device.
14. A method as in claim 13 where the implantable drug eluting device is a biodegradable polymeric matrix.
15. A method as in claim 13 where the implantable drug eluting device comprises a biodegradable gel.
16. A method as in claim 13 where the implantable drug eluting device comprises microspheres.
17. A method as in claim 13 where the implantable drug eluting device is shaped to surround the renal artery.
18. A method as in claim 13 where the implantable drug eluting device comprises osmotic pump.
19. A method as in claim 13 where the implantable drug eluting device comprises self forming biodegradable compound.
20. A method as in claim 6 where the nerve-blocking drug is combined with a steroid.
21. A method as in claim 13 where the implantable drug eluting device comprises a patch on the renal artery.
22. A method as in claim 6 where the nerve-blocking drug is selected from the group consisting of a local anesthetic, ketamine, tricyclic antidepressant and neurotoxin.
23. A method for reducing myocardial infarct expansion by at least partially blocking a renal nerve of a kidney of a human patient comprising the steps of:
a. implanting a drug eluting device in a periarterial space of the kidney; and
b. delivering a nerve-blocking drug to the periarterial space.
24. A method for reducing myocardial infarct expansion by at least partially blocking a renal nerve of a kidney of a human patient comprising:
a. implanting a drug delivery catheter in a periarterial space of the kidney;
b. implanting a drug infusion port in the body of the patient;
c. connecting the drug infusion pump to the said port; and
d. delivering a nerve-blocking agent to the periarterial space.
25. A method for reducing myocardial infarct expansion by at least partially blocking a renal nerve of a kidney of a human patient comprising:
a. injecting a nerve blocking drug into a periarterial space of the kidney;
b. blocking the renal nerve for the duration of action of the nerve blocking drug; and
c. repeating steps a and b for the duration of the infarct expansion.