Patent ID: 6955174
Filing Date: 2005-10-18
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A method for treating vulnerable plaque of a blood vessel, the vulnerable plaque releasably retaining fluid, said method comprising: identifying a portion of the vasculature for inhibiting release of the retained fluid; determining a plaque location is within the identified portion of the vasculature; introducing a catheter into a lumen of the blood vessel and positioning a balloon of the catheter within the vessel lumen adjacent the vulnerable plaque; and in response to the determining step, selectively cooling the vulnerable plaque at the plaque location to a temperature sufficient to inhibit release of the retained fluid into the blood vessel by introducing cooling fluid into the balloon of the balloon catheter so that the temperature of an outer surface of the balloon is in a range from about 10° C. to −40° C. for a time period in a range from about 15 to 120 seconds.