Intraluminal microneurography denervation probe with radio frequency ablation

Abstract

An intraluminal microneurography probe has a probe body configured to be introduced into an artery near an organ of a body without preventing the flow of blood through the artery. An expandable sense electrode and an expandable stimulation electrode are fixed to the probe body at one end of each electrode such that movement of the other end toward the fixed end causes the sense electrode to expand from the probe body toward a wall of the artery. A ground electrode is configured to couple to the body, and a plurality of electrical connections are operable to electrically couple the electrodes to electrical circuitry. The sense electrode is operable to measure sympathetic nerve activity in response to excitation of the stimulation electrode. A radio frequency ablation element is located between the expandable sense electrode and expandable stimulation electrode, and is operable to ablate nerves proximate to the artery.

1 . An intraluminal microneurography probe, comprising:
 a probe body that is substantially cylindrical and having a diameter and a length that is perpendicular to the diameter, the probe configured to be introduced into an artery near an organ of a body without preventing the flow of blood through the artery;   an expandable sense electrode, fixed to the probe body at one end of the sense electrode and movable relative to the probe body at a second end of the sense electrode such that movement of the movable end toward the fixed end causes the sense electrode to expand from the probe body toward a wall of the artery;   an expandable stimulation electrode, fixed to the probe body at one end of the stimulation electrode and movable relative to the probe body at a second end of the stimulation electrode such that movement of the movable end toward the fixed end causes the sense electrode to expand from the probe body toward a wall of the artery;   a ground electrode configured to couple to the body;   a radio frequency ablation element attached to the probe body at a location between the expandable sense electrode and the expandable stimulation electrode; and   a plurality of electrical connections operable to electrically couple at least the expandable sense electrode, expandable stimulation electrode, ground electrode, and radio frequency ablation element to electrical circuitry.   
     
     
         2 . The intraluminal microneurography probe of  claim 1 , wherein the radio frequency ablation element comprises a microwave radio frequency ablation element. 
     
     
         3 . The intraluminal microneurography probe of  claim 1 , further comprising a liquid cooling element configured to cool the radio frequency ablation element. 
     
     
         4 . The intraluminal microneurography probe of  claim 3 , wherein the liquid cooling element comprises a liquid jacket through which cooling liquid is pumped. 
     
     
         5 . The intraluminal microneurography probe of  claim 1 , further comprising a coupling operable to connect the radio frequency ablation element to an external radio frequency energy source. 
     
     
         6 . The intraluminal microneurography probe of  claim 1 , wherein the radio frequency ablation element comprises at least one monopole or a dipole antenna. 
     
     
         7 . The intraluminal microneurography probe of  claim 1 , wherein the radio frequency ablation element comprises at least one loop or ring antenna. 
     
     
         8 . The intraluminal microneurography probe of  claim 1 , wherein the radio frequency ablation element comprises a steered array of antenna elements. 
     
     
         9 . The intraluminal microneurography probe of  claim 1 , further comprising a reflector configured to direct energy from the radio frequency ablation element in a specific direction. 
     
     
         10 . The intraluminal microneurography probe of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the expandable sense electrode and the expandable stimulation electrode comprises an expandable mesh or an expandable wire helix. 
     
     
         11 . The intraluminal microneurography probe of  claim 1 , wherein the expandable sense electrode and the expandable stimulation electrode have fixed points on the probe body that are between two and four centimeters apart along the length of the probe body. 
     
     
         12 . The intraluminal microneurography probe of  claim 1 , wherein the ground electrode is configured on or near the probe body. 
     
     
         13 . The intraluminal microneurography probe of  claim 1 , further comprising a second ground electrode such that separate sense ground and stimulation ground electrodes are provided but connected to one another via a low-pass filter 
     
     
         14 . The intraluminal microneurography probe of  claim 1 , further comprising a sheath assembly operable to guide the probe into position within the artery. 
     
     
         15 . The intraluminal microneurography probe of  claim 10 , wherein the ground electrode is coupled to the sheath, and a second ground electrode is couplable to the body such that separate sense ground and stimulation ground electrodes are provided but coupled to one another via a low-pass filter. 
     
     
         16 . A method of regulating nerve activity associated with a body organ, comprising:
 introducing a probe into artery to a location proximate to the body organ;   expanding an expandable sense electrode and an expandable stimulation electrode comprising a part of the probe to contact the artery wall while permitting blood flow around the expanded sense and stimulation electrodes;   exciting the stimulation electrode using an electricity source coupled to the stimulation electrode;   measuring sympathetic activity of a nerve as a result of exciting the stimulation electrode using the expanded sense electrode; and   ablating the nerve using a radio frequency ablation probe to reduce the measured sympathetic activity of the nerve as a result of the exciting the stimulation electrode to a desired level.   
     
     
         17 . The method of regulating nerve activity associated with a body organ of  claim 16 , further comprising re-excitation of the stimulation electrode using an electricity source coupled to the stimulation electrode, and re-measurement of sympathetic nerve activity as a result of exciting the stimulation electrode using the expanded sense electrode to confirm the effects of the ablation. 
     
     
         18 . The method of regulating nerve activity associated with a body organ of  claim 16 , wherein the radio frequency ablation probe comprises at least one of a monopole, a dipole, a ring antenna, a loop antenna, or a phase-steered array of antennas. 
     
     
         19 . The method of regulating nerve activity associated with a body organ of  claim 16 , further comprising at least one of a cooling element configured to cool the probe in the vicinity of the radio frequency ablation probe, and a reflector configured to direct energy from the radio frequency ablation element in a specific direction. 
     
     
         20 . The method of regulating nerve activity associated with a body organ of  claim 16 , wherein introduction of the probe into the artery comprises introducing the probe into the artery via a sheath.