Patent ID: 8473067

Claim:
An apparatus for delivering a therapy to a renal artery of a patient, comprising: a support structure dimensioned for deployment at the renal artery, the support structure configured for chronic fixation at the renal artery; a thermal transfer arrangement supported by the support structure and comprising one or more thermoelectric elements configured to thermally couple to the renal artery and capable of operating in at least one of a hyperthermic configuration and a hypothermic configuration; power circuitry supported by the support structure and coupled to the thermal transfer arrangement, the power circuit comprising a receiver configured to receive energy from a power source external of the renal artery, the power source supplying energy to the receiver other than by way of a percutaneous lead; and a control circuit supported by the support structure and coupled to the power circuitry, wherein the control circuit, if in the hyperthermic configuration, is configured to coordinate delivery of hyperthermic ablation therapy to ablate innervated renal nerve tissue at or proximate the renal artery and, if in the hyporthermic configuration, is configured to coordinate delivery of hypothermic ablation therapy to freeze innervated renal nerve tissue at or proximate the renal artery.