Catheter-based renal sympathetic denervation: chronic preclinical evidence for renal artery safety.

Background: Renal sympathetic hyperactivity is associated with hypertension, a leading cause of mortality worldwide. Renal sympathetic denervation via the Symplicity Catheter System has been shown to decrease blood pressure by 33/11 mmHg by 6 months, with no radiofrequency (RF)-related adverse sequelae visible by CT/MR angiography or renal duplex ultrasound 6 months after the procedure. Here, we present preclinical work predating those clinical results.