Catheter-based devices and associated methods for immune system neuromodulation

Abstract

Catheter-based devices and associated methods for immune system neuromodulation of human patients are disclosed herein. One aspect of the present technology is directed to methods of treating a human patient diagnosed with an immune system condition. The methods can include intravascularly positioning a neuromodulation catheter within a blood vessel proximate to neural fibers innervating an immune system organ of the patient. The method also includes reducing sympathetic neural activity in the patient by delivering energy to the neural fibers innervating the immune system organ via the neuromodulation catheter. Reducing sympathetic neural activity improves a measurable physiological parameter corresponding to the immune system condition of the patient.

I/We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of treating a human patient diagnosed with an immune system condition, the method comprising:
 intravascularly positioning a neuromodulation catheter within a blood vessel proximate to neural fibers innervating an immune system organ of the patient; and   reducing sympathetic neural activity in the patient by delivering energy to the neural fibers innervating the immune system organ via the neuromodulation catheter,   wherein reducing sympathetic neural activity improves a measurable physiological parameter corresponding to the immune system condition of the patient.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the immune system condition is an autoimmune condition. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the autoimmune condition is selected from the group consisting of multiple sclerosis, lupus, and psoriasis. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein reducing sympathetic neural activity in the patient in a manner that improves a measurable physiological parameter corresponding to the immune system condition comprises reducing muscle sympathetic nerve activity in the patient. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein reducing sympathetic neural activity in the patient in a manner that improves a measurable physiological parameter corresponding to the immune system condition comprises reducing whole body norepinephrine spillover in the patient. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein intravascularly positioning a neuromodulation catheter within a blood vessel comprises positioning the neuromodulation catheter in at least one of the splenic artery, splenic branch artery, or splenic vein. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein reducing sympathetic neural activity in the patient by delivering energy to the neural fibers innervating the immune system organ comprises at least partially inhibiting afferent neural activity. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein reducing sympathetic neural activity in the patient by delivering energy to the neural fibers innervating the immune system organ comprises at least partially inhibiting efferent neural activity. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein reducing sympathetic neural activity in the patient by delivering energy to the neural fibers innervating the immune system organ comprises partially ablating the target immune system nerve. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein reducing sympathetic neural activity in the patient by delivering energy to the neural fibers innervating the immune system organ via the neuromodulation catheter comprises delivering an energy field to the neural fibers via the neuromodulation catheter. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein delivering an energy field to the neural fibers comprises delivering radio frequency energy via the neuromodulation catheter. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein delivering an energy field to the neural fibers comprises delivering ultrasound energy via the neuromodulation catheter. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein delivering ultrasound energy comprises delivering high intensity focused ultrasound energy via the neuromodulation catheter. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10  wherein delivering an energy field to the neural fibers comprises delivering laser energy via the neuromodulation catheter. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10  wherein delivering an energy field to the neural fibers comprises delivering microwave energy via the neuromodulation catheter. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising removing the neuromodulation catheter from the patient after delivering energy to the neural fibers innervating the immune system organ via the neuromodulation catheter. 
     
     
         17 . A method, comprising:
 percutaneously introducing an energy delivery element at a distal portion of a catheter proximate to neural fibers that control a function of an immune system organ of a human subject diagnosed with an immune system condition;   at least partially disrupting communication along the neural fibers via the energy delivery element; and   removing the energy delivery element and catheter from the subject after treatment,   wherein at least partially disrupting communication along the neural fibers therapeutically treats one or more symptoms associated with the immune system condition of the subject.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein at least partially disrupting communication along the neural fibers via the energy delivery element comprises delivering a chemical agent to tissue at a treatment location proximate the neural fibers in a manner that modulates sympathetic neural activity of the neural fibers. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein at least partially disrupting communication along the neural fibers via the energy delivery element comprises thermally modulating the neural fibers via at least one wall-contact electrode. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17  wherein at least partially disrupting communication along the neural fibers via the energy delivery element comprises thermally modulating the neural fibers via a multi-electrode array positioned within an immune system blood vessel of the patient.