Nerve ablation reduced blood pressure in two thirds of patients, trial finds

Renal denervation using ultrasound could prove to be an alternative to lifelong drug treatment for hypertension. Research published in the Lancet shows that the technique significantly reduced systolic blood pressure at two months in patients with hypertension that was resistant to drug treatment.1

The one hour operation uses ultrasound energy to disrupt the nerves between the kidneys and the brain that carry the signals controlling blood pressure.

Radiofrequency ablation of the renal nerves has been investigated previously, with mixed results. A 2017 Cochrane Collaboration meta-analysis found moderate quality …