Cryogenic therapy systems and methods

A method of treating a patient suffering from cardiac electrical storm, comprising:

• providing cryogenic therapy to one or more desired nerves of a stellate ganglion or an autonomic tissue area peripheral to the stellate ganglion of the patient, wherein providing the cryogenic therapy comprises:
• navigating a probe of a hand-held cryogenic therapy apparatus to the stellate ganglion or the autonomic tissue area peripheral to the stellate ganglion of the patient, the probe comprising a needle configured to produce a cooling zone for focused cryogenic therapy;
• aligning the needle with the one or more desired nerves of the stellate ganglion or the autonomic tissue area peripheral to the stellate ganglion;
• and
• producing the cooling zone to provide cryogenic therapy to the desired nerves of the stellate ganglion or the autonomic tissue area peripheral to the stellate ganglion at a temperature sufficient to cause axonotmesis of the nerves.