Patent ID: 8986294
Filing Date: 2015-03-24
Classification: A61B,A61F,A61M,A61N

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for thermally-induced renal neuromodulation, the apparatus comprising: a device sized and shaped for delivery within a blood vessel to a vicinity of a neural fiber that contributes to renal function, the device being adapted to receive a thermal fluid for removing heat to protect non-target tissue of the wall of the blood vessel; a thermal modulation element at least proximate to the device, the thermal modulation element being configured to expand from a first dimension to a second dimension, and a balloon at least proximate to the thermal modulation element and capable of expanding the thermal modulation element from the first dimension to the second dimension, wherein the thermal modulation element is configured to contact, but not pass through, a wall of the blood vessel upon expansion of the thermal modulation element to the second dimension within the blood vessel, and wherein the thermal modulation element comprises at least one electrode configured to transmit a thermal electric field to the neural fiber to thermally induce modulation of a function of the neural fiber when the thermal modulation element is at the second dimension within the blood vessel.