US 11,666,370 B2
Apparatus and method for targeted temporary bronchial nerve modulation by cryo-ablation for prevention and treatment of acute respiratory distress syndromes
Zhongping Yang, Woodbury, MN (US); Randal C. Schulhauser, Phoenix, AZ (US); Nicolas Coulombe, Anjou (CA); Jean-Pierre Lalonde, Candiac (CA); and Anthony Rorvick, Champlin, MN (US)
Assigned to Medtronic, Inc., Minneapolis, MN (US)
Filed by Medtronic, Inc., Minneapolis, MN (US)
Filed on Jul. 27, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/939,162.
Prior Publication US 2022/0022931 A1, Jan. 27, 2022
Int. Cl. A61B 18/02 (2006.01); A61B 18/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 18/02 (2013.01) [A61B 2018/00255 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00541 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00577 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00994 (2013.01); A61B 2018/0212 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
14. A method of treating or preventing acute respiratory distress syndrome, comprising:
advancing a catheter having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end having a balloon, into a target bronchus of a mammal;
inflating the balloon with at least one coolant from the group consisting of liquid nitrogen, supercritical fluid, argon, and nitrogen dioxide;
calculating a diameter of the target bronchus based on a measured internal pressure within the balloon including calculating an inflection point between the measured internal pressure within the balloon and a volume of fluid within the balloon;
inflating the balloon to a target inflation diameter based on the calculated diameter of the target bronchus; and
exchanging cryogenic energy between the balloon and the target bronchus for a range of 1-300 seconds until a temperature range of 10 degrees Celsius to −120 degrees Celsius of the bronchus is reached to cause neuropraxia of nerves within the bronchus
wherein inflating the balloon to the target inflation diameter includes adjusting a flow rate of the coolant fluid flowing into the balloon based on the target inflation diameter to reach a minimum required injection pressure to achieve apposition of the target bronchus.