Histological assessment of renal artery, kidney, and adrenal gland in 12 sheep (M1-M6 a B1-B6) after radiofrequency catheter-based sympathetic ablation
Abstract
Two methods of radiofrequency catheter-based sympathetic denervation performed in sheep were compared. More than 11500 histological sections of renal arteries, kidneys, and adrenal glands were produced.
In sham-operated organs, no lesions were found. After ablation, acute injury of the renal arteries as well as microscopic nerve injury were found more frequently in the type B catheter than in the type M catheter.
In all animals under study, none of the ablation methods resulted in a complete destruction of the sympathetic nerve plexus surrounding the renal artery. No injury was found in the kindeys and adrenal glands.