Renal denervation for treating drug resistant hypertension involves severing renal nerves, through ablation. The kidneys play a key role in regulating blood pressure via these nerves, but the functionality goes awry in many hypertensive patients, so breaking the kidneys ability to regulate blood pressure seems to work in many. The problem is that high percentage of patients don’t find relief from renal denervation, and some causes of these failures seem to be the selection of patients and the precision of the procedure itself.
Pythagoras Medical, an Israeli firm formed by Rainbow Medical Innovation, a local medtech investment firm, just received European clearance to introduce its ConfidenHT system that aids in perfecting renal denervation procedures. It does so by identifying the exact location of nerves that play a direct role in blood pressure regulation. Currently, renal denervation ablations, which are not yet offered in the U.S., are essentially blind. The surgeon does not see precisely where the nerves are, and often causes damage to nearby tissues.
The ConfidenHT relies on an over-the-wire catheter with a shape changing tip that can electrically stimulate nerves it comes in contact with. When placed near renal nerves and energized, the catheter can cause temporary rises in blood pressure, indicating so-called “hot spots” that are perfect targets for ablation.
Link: Rainbow Medical Innovation…
Via: Pythagoras Medical…
