Catheter-based ultrasound nerve stimulation and selective renal denervation: a preliminary case series study

This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of a catheter-based ultrasound renal denervation (RDN) system for nerve mapping guided RDN and treatment efficacy verification. A total of five patients were sequentially enrolled. Low-power pulsed ultrasound stimulation was applied at the distal, middle and proximal segments of the renal arteries, in both head-foot and abdomen-back directions. Ultrasound RDN was selectively performed at sites where SBP increased by at least 5 mmHg following stimulation. Supplementary RDN was conducted at any sites exhibiting an SBP increase of at least 5 mmHg after re-stimulation. A total of 60 directional stimulations were applied across 10 renal arteries, with 70% of these directions received ultrasound RDN. The daytime ambulatory SBP decreased from 151 to 130 mmHg after two months. These findings indicate that catheter-based ultrasound renal mapping guided RDN might feasible and could offer a more targeted approach to the RDN procedure.