ATLANTA - Emory Healthcare is pleased to announce treatment of the first patient with a new commercially available renal denervation (RDN) procedure, now offered for certain patients with high blood pressure. Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Medtronic Symplicity Spyral™ renal denervation system involves a minimally invasive procedure that targets nerves around the kidneys that can become overactive and cause high blood pressure.
“High blood pressure is a significant problem for patients all around the world. For people with hypertension, medication and/or lifestyle changes can help lower blood pressure, but studies have shown that many people still don’t have adequate control over their condition,” says Pratik Sandesara, MD interventional cardiologist at Emory Healthcare.
The procedure was a part of a decades long study called the SPYRAL HTN Pivotal Trial, which aimed to determine the efficacy and safety of renal denervation. The randomized investigational study tested the renal denervation procedure in up to 433 patients at 50 sites in the United States, Europe, Australia and Japan. Researchers at Emory participated in the global study.
During the procedure, a catheter is advanced through a minimal puncture in a groin artery and then threaded into the kidney arteries. Once there, the catheter delivers low-power radiofrequency energy to heat nerves in the walls of the artery with the goal of reducing the impact these nerves play in raising blood pressure. The technique, called ablation, is similar to one commonly used by doctors to stabilize irregular heartbeats.
“It can provide patients with a blood pressure reduction benefit that is ‘always on’ and doesn’t require a permanent implant – it can also help patients regain their peace of mind, “says Sandesara.
