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Renal denervation is s treatment option for people with uncontrolled high blood pressure that involves a procedure, rather than lifestyle changes or medications. It can help with lowering blood pressure no matter how many medications you have tried or when you were diagnosed.

What is Renal Denervation?

Renal denervation is a minimally invasive procedure that was FDA approved in 2023 to treat uncontrolled high blood pressure. In this procedure, an interventional cardiologist uses a catheter (a thin plastic tube) to send ultrasound or radiofrequency (heat) energy to the renal arteries, the blood vessels supplying blood to the kidneys. This energy injures (ablates) renal nerves surrounding the arteries without damaging the arteries. Overactivity in the renal nerves can increase blood pressure. Renal denervation reduces activity in the renal nerves to lower blood pressure.

What to Expect During Renal Denervation?

Renal denervation takes around 1-2 hours. You receive sedation to keep you comfortable during the procedure. Most people can go home the same day. During renal denervation, an interventional cardiologist:

1. Makes a small incision in your groin and inserts a catheter into your femoral artery, the blood vessels that sends blood to your lower body.
2. Guides the catheter to the renal arteries in your kidneys.
3. Uses ultrasound or radiofrequency pulses to ablate the nerves in your right and left renal arteries. The catheter is removed, leaving no implants behind.

Recovery is 4-5 hours to make sure that there is no bleeding at the access site. This includes a period of lying flat and not moving after the procedure.

The interventional cardiologist will give you specific instructions to care for yourself at home after the procedure. Even after the procedure, you will need to maintain a healthy lifestyle, continue to monitor your blood pressure at home, and continue to take medications as prescribed.

What are the Risks and Benefits of Renal Denervation?

The interventional cardiologist will discuss the risks of the procedure prior to scheduling. The most frequent complication is bleeding at the access site (in the groin). Overall, the complication rate for renal denervation is quite low (<1%). Injury to the kidneys very rarely happens if at all.

Patient responses to renal denervation can vary significantly. Some patients will have a noticeable reduction in blood pressure while others experience little to no change. In general, about 60-70% of patients see a meaningful blood pressure decrease. We cannot predict which patients will have reductions in blood pressure and by how much. It appears that having a higher level of blood pressure before the procedure is associated with a favorable response to renal denervation.

Is Renal Denervation Right for Me?

Renal denervation may be an option for you if you have uncontrolled high blood pressure. Speak with your hypertension provider if you are interested in this procedure.

In order to be a candidate for renal denervation, you need to have healthy renal arteries and generally healthy kidneys. At the present time, renal denervation is not advisable in patients with markedly reduced kidney function, adult polycystic kidney disease, kidney tumors, kidney transplant, renal artery stenosis, fibromuscular dysplasia, or renal artery aneurysm.

Depending on your situation, your health care provider may order further testing to ensure that there is no unusual cause of your hypertension prior to renal denervation.