Renovascular ablation (for treating high blood pressure)

High blood pressure (hypertension) affects 25 to 30 million people in Germany, making it one of the most common chronic diseases and a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and mortality. In some patients, sufficient adjustment of blood pressure is not achieved despite optimal medical treatment. Nerve fibers in the kidney play a crucial role in blood pressure regulation, and the effectiveness of renovascular ablation is based on this. The basic principle is the use of radiofrequency energy for sclerotherapy (ablation) of sympathetic nerve fibers in the kidney. A disruption in these nerve fibers leads to relevant reductions in blood pressure.

The renovascular ablation therapy (RAT) method is employed successfully at the Heart Center, University of Freiburg. Its establishment in the clinical routine provides an important new treatment option for those patients whose arterial hypertension cannot be sufficiently adjusted by medication.

ISAH-Teams perfoming a renovascular ablation.