Methods and devices for thermally induced hepatic neuromodulation

Abstract

A system for treatment includes a focused ultrasound energy source for placement outside a patient, wherein the focused ultrasound energy source is configured to deliver ultrasound energy towards a blood vessel with a surrounding nerve that is a part of an autonomic nervous system inside the patient, and wherein the focused ultrasound energy source is configured to deliver the ultrasound energy from outside the patient to the nerve located inside the patient to treat the nerve.

1 - 32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . A method of modulating a nerve associated with a pulmonary blood vessel comprising:
 directing a therapeutic ultrasound energy applicator towards a target region comprising a nerve associated with a pulmonary blood vessel;   determining a position of the target region with respect to the energy applicator;   determining an ultrasound energy delivery pattern; and   delivering ultrasound energy with the energy applicator to the target region based on the determined ultrasound energy delivery pattern.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the delivery of ultrasound energy generates heat around the pulmonary blood vessel, but not inside a wall of the pulmonary blood vessel. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the delivery of ultrasound energy generates a temperature around the pulmonary blood vessel between 40 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the delivery of ultrasound energy generates a temperature around the pulmonary blood vessel between 60 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the method further comprises cooling a region that is being heated by the delivered ultrasound energy. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein an intensity of the delivered ultrasound energy is between 50 mW/cm 2  and 1 W/cm 2 . 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein a frequency of the delivered ultrasound energy is between 0.5 Mhz and 10 Mhz. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the delivered ultrasound energy comprises unfocused ultrasound energy. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the delivered ultrasound energy at least partially modulates the nerve. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the ultrasound energy is delivered to form a heated region having an approximately ellipsoidal shape. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the ultrasound energy is delivered to form a heated region having an approximately spherical shape. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the act of directing the energy applicator comprises directing the energy applicator from outside the patient towards the target region inside the patient. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the act of directing the energy applicator comprises directing the energy applicator from inside the patient towards the target region. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the act of delivering ultrasound energy to the target region comprises delivering the ultrasound energy to the target region around a reference position associated with a pulmonary vein. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the act of delivering ultrasound energy to the target region comprises delivering the ultrasound energy to the target region around a reference position associated with a pulmonary artery. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising utilizing ultrasound imaging to identify the target region. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising utilizing Doppler flow based imaging to identify the target region. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising determining a position of an ultrasound imaging with respect to the energy applicator.