Patent ID: 8876815

Claim:
A hepatic neuromodulation system, comprising: an energy delivery device having a proximal end and a distal end and a lumen extending from the proximal end to the distal end, wherein the distal end of the energy delivery device is configured to facilitate navigation of hepatic arterial vasculature that is highly variable and tortuous; a shaft configured to be advanced through the lumen of the energy delivery device comprising a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end of the shaft comprising at least one electrode, wherein the distal end of the shaft is configured to be advanced out of the distal end of the energy delivery device and positioned within a portion of a hepatic artery, wherein a distal portion of the shaft comprises a shape memory material having a pre-formed shape configured to cause the distal end of the shaft to contact an inner wall of the hepatic artery upon advancement of the distal portion of the shaft out of the distal end of the energy delivery device, wherein the shape memory material is sufficiently resilient to maintain contact between the at least one electrode and the inner wall of the hepatic artery, and wherein the at least one electrode is configured to be activated to deliver energy sufficient to modulate one or more sympathetic nerves within an adventitial layer of or surrounding the hepatic artery.