Aims: Renal denervation using the point-by-point application of radiofrequency (RF)
energy delivered by the firstgeneration
Symplicity system is effective in lowering office blood pressure however it is time-consuming.
The Vessix
Renal Denervation System with eight balloon-mounted bipolar electrodes shortens and
simplifies the procedure. This
has been the first in-human case examining the efficiency of reducing blood pressure
and also the effect of RF energy
in case of renal denervation on the normal functioning of pacemaker and the tolerability
of the procedure in case of a
patient living with pacemaker.
Materials and methods: The diabetic patient with a coronary artery disease had a baseline
office systolic blood
pressure ≥ 150 mmHg and took four antihypertensive medications. She had a Biotronik
Talos S pacemaker with a
unipolar Biotronik PX 60 UP lead because of sick sinus syndrome however she was not
dependent on pacemaker. We
applied 30 sec. long RF treatments in the renal artery two times.
Results: The patients baseline systolic BP was 185 mmHg which reduced by 30 mmHg immediately
after the
denervation. The lowering of blood pressure was permanent during the 24-hour and four-months
supervisions, despite
the fact that we carried out the intervention only on one side. The radiofrequency
energy did not have an impact on
the normal functioning of the pacemaker during and after the intervention. It did
cause less physical and psychological
burden for the patient than a longer procedure.
