Modulation of nerves innervating the liver

1. A method to facilitate treatment or reduction of symptoms associated with diabetes or other metabolic diseases or disorders, the method comprising:

laparoscopically inserting a catheter into a subject,

wherein said catheter comprises a distal end configured to disrupt one or more nerves,

advancing the distal end of the catheter to a location adjacent one or more nerves of a hepatic plexus surrounding a portion of a common hepatic artery; and

permanently inhibiting the one or more nerves of the hepatic plexus surrounding the portion of the common hepatic artery sufficient to decrease a glucose level within the subject.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the distal end comprises a cutting portion configured to transect said one or more nerves.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the distal end comprises a compression member configured to apply mechanical compression to disrupt the one or more nerves.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the compression member comprises a shape memory compression clip.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the compression member comprises a vascular wall clamp.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the catheter comprises a plurality of suction holes configured to create suction on a wall surface of the common hepatic artery.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the distal end is configured to hold a cooling fluid configured to cryogenically disrupt said one or more nerves.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the distal end comprises a balloon.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the distal end comprises a delivery portion configured to deliver a chemoablative agent to ablate said one or more nerves.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the distal end comprises a steam outlet configured to deliver steam generated by the catheter to ablate said one or more nerves.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the distal end comprises an inflatable balloon configured to be filled with a hot fluid that is configured to ablate said one or more nerves.

12. A method to facilitate treatment or reduction of symptoms associated with diabetes or other metabolic diseases or disorders, the method comprising:

laparoscopically inserting a neuromodulation device within a subject;

positioning the neuromodulation device adjacent to a hepatic plexus of a subject; and

permanently disabling neural communication along one or more nerves of the hepatic plexus using the neuromodulation device sufficient to decrease a glucose level in the subject.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said disabling comprises intravascularly modulating the one or more nerves.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein said disabling comprises extravascularly modulating the one or more nerves.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein said disabling comprises delivering energy to the one or more nerves.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein said inihibiting comprises at least one of delivering a chemoablative agent to the one or more nerves or cryogenically ablating the one or more nerves.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein said disabling comprises physically severing the one or more nerves.

18. A method to facilitate treatment or reduction of symptoms associated with diabetes or other metabolic diseases or disorders, the method comprising:

laparoscopically inserting a neuromodulation device within a subject; and

using the neuromodulation device, permanently disabling neural communication along one or more sympathetic nerve fibers of a hepatic plexus that innervate a liver of the subject sufficient to decrease a glucose level within the subject.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the neuromodulation device comprises at least one of a radiofrequency catheter, an ultrasound catheter, a cryoablation catheter, a fluid delivery needle, a cutting device and a compression member.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein said disabling comprises chemically ablating the one or more sympathetic nerve fibers.