Limited destruction of renal nerves after catheter-based renal denervation: results of a human case study

Abstract

Renal denervation (RDN) is a promising novel treatment for resistant hypertension. Effectiveness of treatment is, however, highly variable and unpredictable. Incomplete denervation of the renal nerves is a plausible explanation for the variable blood pressure lowering effect of RDN. Here, we present for the first time a histopathological evaluation of the effects of RDN on perivascular nerves of the renal arteries in a human patient. Our findings potentially have important implications for future directions with RDN.

Keywords: hypertension; renal denervation; renal nerves.