The authors review the concept of resistant hypertension and the involvement of 
the sympathetic nervous system in hypertension as a rational basis for the 
technique of renal sympathetic denervation (RSD) performed percutaneously. This 
revision is the result of an active search for scientific articles with the term 
"renal denervation" in the Medline and PubMed databases. The techniques and 
devices used in the procedure are presented, as well as clinical outcomes at 
six, 12 and 24 months after the intervention with the Symplicity catheter. 
Significant decreases and progressively higher reductions of systolic and 
diastolic blood pressure were observed after RSD. The complication rate was 
minimal. New devices for RSD and its ongoing clinical studies are cited. In 
conclusion, the RSD presents itself as an effective and safe approach to 
resistant hypertension. Results from ongoing studies and longer follow-up of 
these patients are expected to confirm the initial results and put into 
perspective the expansion of the procedure use in hypertension approach.