Apparatus and method for targeted temporary bronchial nerve modulation by cryo-ablation for prevention and treatment of acute respiratory distress syndromes

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;
• including 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.