Private Renal Denervation in Nottingham

High blood pressure (hypertension) is the worldwide leading preventable cause of death, primarily due to its strong association with increased risk for heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and kidney failure which is why blood pressure management is essential. You may have already tried lifestyle modification and multiple medications but despite that blood pressure remains elevated. It may be due to overactive nerves around the kidney arteries. Renal denervation offers another option by using gentle, targeted energy to calm these signals. This minimally invasive approach can help improve blood pressure control when other treatments aren’t enough.

Renal Denervation (RDN) is a minimally invasive, catheter based procedure designed to help lower blood pressure in people with resistant or uncontrolled hypertension, particularly when lifestyle changes and medications have not been enough to achieve target levels.

How does the procedure work

The technique targets the overactive sympathetic nerves located in the walls of the renal arteries, which play a key role in regulating blood pressure. During the procedure, a catheter is inserted through a blood vessel and guided to the renal arteries, where radiofrequency energy is used to disrupt these nerves.

By reducing sympathetic nerve activity, renal denervation can lead to:

• A sustained reduction in blood pressure over months to years.
• Fewer blood pressure medication requirements in some cases.
• Improved long term cardiovascular risk profile when combined with lifestyle modifications and medications.

RDN is considered the third pillar of hypertension management, alongside lifestyle and drug therapy. A major meta-analysis of hypertension treatment trials has shown that reducing systolic blood pressure by just 10 mmHg can lower overall mortality by 13%, with even more pronounced benefits for cardiovascular outcomes.

Before the procedure you will need assessment to determine if renal denervation is the right treatment for you, Dr. Chitkara will:

• Review your medical history and current medications. 
• Confirm medication adherence and lifestyle modification efforts. 
• Conduct blood and urine tests as needed. 
• Request imaging of the renal arteries (CT scan or MRI) to ensure suitability.

‘’Once your assessment is completed, our team will review your results to see whether renal denervation is a suitable private treatment option for you. Teamwork is an important part of your journey, your case will be discussed in the multi-disciplinary team meeting and if you are eligible, you will receive treatment within few weeks.”

Renal denervation is carried out using a minimally invasive technique, meaning there are no large cuts or open surgery. A small access point is created at the top of your leg, where our Interventional Cardiologist will carefully guide a thin catheter through a blood vessel toward the arteries supplying your kidneys. High definition, real time imaging helps us position the catheter precisely. The area is numbed with local anaesthetic, and you will also receive light sedation, so you feel calm and relaxed throughout.

Once the catheter reaches the kidney arteries, our interventional cardiologist will deliver short, controlled bursts of energy to gently interrupt the overactive nerves that contribute to high blood pressure. After the procedure, you will rest in a comfortable recovery area for a few hours, and most patients are able to return home later the same day.

You’ll return to see your Interventional Cardiologist a few weeks after the procedure to ensure your recovery is progressing well. Over the following six months, you will be reviewed at regular intervals to monitor your blood pressure and check that your kidney function remains healthy. Many patients notice a small drop in blood pressure soon after renal denervation. For most, the improvement continues gradually over the next 12 months. As your blood pressure stabilises, you may also find that you require fewer medications or lower doses than before.