Heart Center Leipzig is the first hospital in Europe to apply innovative catheter placement method
For the first time ever in Europe, medical professionals of the Helios Heart Center Leipzig have used ultrasound renal denervation to treat uncontrolled hypertension outside of clinical trials. Several studies show that the procedure lowers a patient’s blood pressure, making it a promising adjunctive therapy in the fight against a common medical condition.
The Heart Center Leipzig is the first hospital in Europe where medical professionals have treated a female patient with hypertension using ultrasound renal denervation. Adj. Professor Dr. Karl Fengler, acting head of the Cardiology Department of the University Hospital, Helios endowed chair, performed the surgery and was satisfied with the result: "Ultrasound renal denervation has already proved a potential for the treatment of hypertension in clinical trials with the participation of the Heart Center. The catheter insertion took about an hour and was successful, and the patient was discharged soon after. We are confident that we can make this form of therapy a standard method.”
It is especially suitable for patients with insufficient response to conventional drug therapy for high blood pressure.
Adj. Professor Dr. Karl Fengler, acting head of the Cardiology Department of the University Hospital, Helios endowed chair
With renal denervation, a special catheter is inserted into the renal vessel through the groin. Until now, the radiofrequency catheters operating at high-frequency current have been used for this purpose. In the new method, the ultrasound probe is at the catheter tip. A catheter is placed on the vessel wall and obliterates the nerve fibers from the artery to the kidney, thereby lowering blood pressure. “Compared to previous catheters, this one features a better penetration depth and a more uniform circular ablation pattern while simultaneously reducing surgery time. It is especially suitable for patients with insufficient response to conventional drug therapy for high blood pressure,” says Dr. Fengler, head of the Outpatient Department for Hypertension at the Heart Center Leipzig. “The procedure has been extensively studied for many years, but it is only now that the technology has become available for clinical use. Finally, the procedure effectiveness has been proven by several studies. The European Society of Hypertension (ESH) recently approved and recommends the renal denervation as an adjuvant therapy for hypertension in addition to medications and lifestyle change.”
The procedure has been extensively studied for many years, but it is only now that the technology has become available for clinical use.
Adj. Professor Dr. Karl Fengler, acting head of the Cardiology Department of the University Clinic, Helios endowed chair
More than 30 million people in Germany suffer from high blood pressure, which is medically called the hypertension. The condition often goes unnoticed for years, with men more likely to suffer from high blood pressure than women. However, the high blood pressure is increasingly being diagnosed in children as well. High blood pressure, if left untreated, increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, such as stroke or heart attack.
