Renal Nerve Stimulation Method for Treatment of Patients

Abstract

A method and apparatus for treatment of heart failure, hypertension and renal failure by stimulating the renal nerve. The goal of therapy is to reduce sympathetic activity of the renal nerve. Therapy is accomplished by at least partially blocking the nerve with drug infusion or electrostimulation. Apparatus can be permanently implanted or catheter based.

1 . A method comprising:
 monitoring a physiologic parameter of a patient;   generating a stimulation signal with an electrical nerve stimulator, the signal based, at least in part on the monitored physiologic parameter; and   delivering the generated stimulation signal from the electrical nerve stimulator to a renal nerve of the patient to decrease renal sympathetic nerve activity of the patient.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein monitoring the physiologic parameter comprises monitoring a physiologic parameter indicative of sympathetic nerve activity within the patient, the method further comprising:
 identifying an increase in sympathetic nerve activity based on the monitored physiologic parameter, 
 wherein the stimulation signal is generated in response to the identified increase in sympathetic activity. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the electrical nerve stimulator is an implantable electrical nerve stimulator. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting information regarding the monitored physiologic parameter from a sensor located within the patient to a device located outside of the patient. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the monitored physiologic parameter comprises at least one of blood pressure and blood oxygen saturation. 
     
     
         6 . A system comprising:
 a sensor capable of sensing a physiologic parameter of a patient; and   an electrical stimulator in communication with the sensor, wherein the electrical stimulator comprises a signal generator capable of generating a stimulation signal based on the sensed physiologic parameter and delivering the stimulation signal to a renal nerve of the patient.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  further comprising an electrical circuit capable of identifying an increase in sympathetic nerve activity based on the sensed physiologic parameter, the electrical circuit also being capable of controlling the electrical stimulator to generate the stimulation signal in response to the identified increase in sympathetic activity. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising an apparatus adapted to receive information regarding the sensed physiologic parameter while the apparatus is located outside the patient. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the information regarding the sensed physiologic parameter comprises information regarding at least one of blood pressure and blood oxygen saturation. 
     
     
         10 . A method comprising:
 sensing a physiologic parameter indicative of sympathetic nerve activity within a patient;   identifying an increase in sympathetic nerve activity based on the sensed physiologic parameter; and   delivering a stimulation signal to a renal nerve of the patient in response to the identified increase in sympathetic nerve activity.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the sensed physiologic parameter is indicative of renal nerve activity. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the sensed physiologic parameter comprises at least one of blood pressure and blood oxygen saturation. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  wherein sensing the physiologic parameter comprises sensing first and second physiologic parameters, and wherein identifying the increase in sympathetic nerve activity is based on the first and second sensed physiologic parameters. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the delivered stimulation signal is selected from at least two different levels of stimulation. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising transmitting information regarding the physiologic parameter to an apparatus outside of the patient. 
     
     
         16 . A system comprising:
 a sensor capable of sensing a physiologic parameter indicative of sympathetic nerve activity within a patient;   an electronic circuit connected to the sensor and being capable of identifying an increase in sympathetic nerve activity based on the sensed physiologic parameter; and   an electrical stimulator connected to the electronic circuit and being capable of delivering a stimulation signal to a renal nerve of the patient in response to the identified increase in sympathetic activity.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the electronic circuit comprises an electronic circuit of the electrical stimulator. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising a lead, wherein the electrical stimulator is capable of delivering the stimulation signal to the renal nerve via one or more electrodes carried by the lead. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the physiologic parameter is indicative of renal activity. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the physiologic parameter comprises at least one of blood pressure and blood oxygen saturation.