ENERGETIC MODULATION OF NERVES
A method of treatment includes delivering an agent into a patient, and providing energy inside the patient so that the energy can interact with the agent to treat a nerve. A system for treatment includes a source of agent for delivery into a patient, and an energy source for providing energy inside the patient so that the energy can interact with the agent to treat a nerve.
1 . A method of treatment, comprising:
delivering an agent into a patient; and
providing energy inside the patient so that the energy can interact with the agent to treat a nerve.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the energy comprises electromagnetic energy.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the energy is in a form of light.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the agent comprises a molecule, and the energy activates the molecule to cause the molecule to release a substance.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the substance comprises a free radical for damaging the nerve.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the agent comprises a sensitizer molecule.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the sensitizer molecule comprises a photosensitizer molecule.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the agent is sensitive to light at 763 nm wavelength.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the energy is in a form of light, and the act of providing the energy comprises inserting a catheter into a vessel, and using a light source on the catheter to provide the light.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the nerve surrounds at least a part of the vessel, and the light delivered inside the vessel travels through a wall of the vessel to reach the nerve.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the energy is in a form of light, and the act of providing the light comprises inserting a fiber optic into a vessel, and using the fiber optic to transmit the light to a region within the vessel.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the nerve surrounds at least a part of the vessel, and the light in the vessel travels through a wall of the vessel to reach the nerve.
13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the nerve comprises a renal nerve.
14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the nerve surrounds a vessel, and is next to a kidney.
15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the energy ranges from approximately 50 to 300 Joules.
16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the energy does not heat the nerve.
17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the energy does not cause temperature inside the body to rise above 37.8 degrees Celsius.
18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the energy is delivered from outside the patient to inside the patient.
19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the act of providing the energy comprises placing a probe percutaneously in a vicinity of a blood vessel that is surrounded by the nerve.
20 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the energy comprises a focused energy.
21 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the energy is in a form of visible light.
22 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the energy is in a form of non-visible light.
23 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the energy is in a form of infrared light.
24 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the nerve is an autonomic nerve, and the energy is provided to treat the autonomic nerve.
25 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the energy is provided to treat hypertension.
26 . A system for treatment, comprising:
a source of agent for delivery into a patient; and
an energy source for providing energy inside the patient so that the energy can interact with the agent to treat a nerve.
27 . The system of claim 26 , wherein the energy comprises electromagnetic energy.
28 . The system of claim 26 , wherein the energy is in a form of light.
29 . The system of claim 26 , wherein the agent comprises a molecule, and the energy source is configured to provide the energy for activating the molecule to cause the molecule to release a substance.
30 . The system of claim 29 , wherein the substance comprises a free radical for damaging the nerve.
31 . The system of claim 26 , wherein the agent comprises a sensitizer molecule.
32 . The system of claim 31 , wherein the sensitizer molecule comprises a photosensitizer molecule.
33 . The system of claim 26 , wherein the agent is sensitive to light at 763 nm wavelength.
34 . The system of claim 26 , further comprising a catheter that carries the energy source, wherein the catheter is sized for insertion into a vessel.
35 . The system of claim 34 , wherein the nerve surrounds at least a part of the vessel, and the energy source is configured to deliver the energy in a form of light inside the vessel, so that the light can travel through a wall of the vessel to reach the nerve.
36 . The system of claim 26 , wherein the energy is in a form of light, and the act of providing the light comprises inserting a fiber optic into a vessel, and using the fiber optic to transmit the light to a region within the vessel.
37 . The system of claim 36 , wherein the nerve surrounds at least a part of the vessel, and the light in the vessel travels through a wall of the vessel to reach the nerve.
38 . The system of claim 26 , wherein the energy source is configured for providing energy inside the patient so that the energy can interact with the agent to treat a renal nerve.
39 . The system of claim 26 , wherein the energy source is configured for providing energy inside the patient so that the energy can interact with the agent to treat a nerve that surrounds a vessel, and that is next to a kidney.
40 . The system of claim 26 , wherein the energy ranges from approximately 50 to 300 Joules.
41 . The system of claim 26 , wherein the energy does not heat the nerve.
42 . The system of claim 26 , wherein the energy does not cause temperature inside the body to rise above 37.8 degrees Celsius.
43 . The system of claim 26 , wherein the energy source is configured for use outside the patient, and is configured to deliver the energy from outside the patient to inside the patient.
44 . The system of claim 26 , wherein the energy source is coupled to a probe configured to be inserted into the patient percutaneously to reach a vicinity of a blood vessel that is surrounded by the nerve.
45 . The system of claim 26 , wherein the energy comprises a focused energy.
46 . The system of claim 26 , wherein the energy source is configured to provide visible light.
47 . The system of claim 26 , wherein the energy source is configured to provide non-visible light.
48 . The system of claim 26 , wherein the energy source is configured to provide infrared light.
49 . The system of claim 26 , wherein the nerve is an autonomic nerve, and the energy source is configured to provide the energy to treat the autonomic nerve.
50 . The system of claim 26 , wherein the energy source is configured to provide the energy to treat hypertension.
51 . A system for treatment, comprising:
a source of photosensitizer compound for delivering the photosensitizer compound inside a patient;
a catheter with a distal end for placement inside a blood vessel of the patient;
a light projecting element carried by the catheter, the light projecting element configured for applying light from inside the blood vessel to interact with the photosensitizer compound to thereby treat a nerve outside the blood vessel;
wherein the light projecting element is configured to create a gradient of light intensity from outside the vessel to inside of the vessel, the light intensity being greater outside the vessel than inside the vessel.
52 . The system of claim 51 , wherein the photosensitizer compound comprises a molecule, and the light projecting element is configured to provide the light for activating the molecule to cause the molecule to release a substance.
53 . The system of claim 52 , wherein the substance comprises a free radical for damaging the nerve.
54 . The system of claim 51 , wherein the compound comprises a sensitizer molecule.
55 . The system of claim 51 , wherein the photosensitizer compound is sensitive to light at 763 nm wavelength.
56 . The system of claim 51 , wherein the light projecting element is configured to provide visible light.
57 . The system of claim 51 , wherein the light projecting element is configured to provide non-visible light.
58 . The system of claim 51 , wherein the light projecting element is configured to provide infrared light.
59 . The system of claim 51 , wherein the nerve is an autonomic nerve, and the light projecting element is configured to provide the light to treat the autonomic nerve.
60 . The system of claim 51 , wherein the light projecting element is configured to provide the light to treat hypertension.