Catheter‐Based Radiofrequency Renal Sympathetic Denervation Decreases Left Ventricular Hypertrophy in Hypertensive Dogs

Figure 1. Changes in blood pressure, left ventricular mass (LVM), peak E/A ratio, norepinephrine (NE), and angiotensin II (AngII) in experimental dogs. ACompared with baseline, P < 0.05. BCompared with the control group, P < 0.05. CCompared with the sham group, P < 0.05. DCompared with preprocedure, P < 0.05.

Figure 2. RDN procedure: (a) right renal arteriography before ablation; (b) ablation of lower wall of the right renal artery; (c) ablation of anterior wall of the right renal artery; (d) ablation of posterior wall of the right renal artery; (e) ablation of upper wall of the right renal artery; (f) right renal arteriography after ablation.

Figure 3. Pathological changes in the left ventricular myocardium of experimental dogs. (a–c) HE staining of myocardial tissue (light microscopy, 400x): (a) normal myocardial tissue in the control group, (b) the RDN group, and (c) the sham-operated group. The size and cross-sectional area of cardiomyocytes were statistically smaller in the RDN group than in the sham-operated group. Additionally, cardiomyocytes in the RDN group were arranged in a more orderly manner, similar to the control group. (d–f) Electron microscopy images of myocardial tissue (12000x): (d) the control group, (e) the RDN group: a portion of cardiomyocyte myofilaments was dissolved and ruptured, and a fraction of the mitochondria became swollen, and (f) the sham-operated group: multifocal dissolution and fragmentation of the myofilaments were apparent, mitochondrial and cellular swelling was evident, and the numbers of the mitochondria and cells were markedly reduced. (g–i) Masson's trichrome staining of myocardial tissue (light microscopy, 400x): (g) the control group, (h) the RDN group: a small number of collagen fibers were deposited in the myocardial stroma, and (i) the sham-operated group: large numbers of…