Scavenging Dissolved Oxygen Via Acoustic Droplet Vaporization

Abstract

Methods and compositions for treating a patient for a condition characterized by an excess blood concentration of dissolved gas in at least one targeted region of the patient are provided. The method comprises administering a composition comprising a perfluorocarbon droplet emulsion into the blood of the patient; insonifying the at least one target region sufficient to achieve formation of microbubbles by droplet vaporization of at least a portion of the perfluorocarbon droplets present in the blood; whereby a concentration gradient favoring movement of gas molecules from the blood into the microbubbles is established for a time frame.

1 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising perfluorocarbon droplets, wherein the volume parameters of the droplets are determined prior to administration to a patient in accordance with the patient's blood concentration of an undesirable gas and the amount of gas sought to be removed from blood present in a target region of the patient. 
     
     
         20 . The pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 19 , wherein the perfluorocarbon droplets are size-isolated perfluorocarbon droplets. 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 20 , wherein the size-isolated perfluorocarbon droplets are generated by differential centrifugation or microfluidic techniques. 
     
     
         23 . The pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 19 , wherein the size-isolated perfluorocarbon droplets have a diameter of from about 0.3 μm to about 100 μm. 
     
     
         24 . The pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 23 , wherein the size-isolated perfluorocarbon droplets have a diameter of from about 2 μm to about 5 μm. 
     
     
         25 . The pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 19 , further comprising an emulsion stabilizer. 
     
     
         26 . The pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 25 , wherein the emulsion stabilizer is a poly(ethylene) oxide block copolymer. 
     
     
         27 . The pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 19 , wherein the perfluorocarbon is selected from the group consisting of perfluoroalkanes, perfluoroalkyl ethers, perfluoroalkenes, perfluorocycloalkanes, perfluoro amines, and C 1 -C 8  substituted compounds thereof, isomers thereof, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         28 . The pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 27 , wherein the perfluorocarbon is a perfluoroalkane selected from the group consisting of perfluoropentane, perfluorohexane, perfluorononane, perfluorohexyl bromide, perfluorooctyl bromide, and perfluorodecyl bromide. 
     
     
         29 . The pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 19 , comprising a dispersed liquid phase perfluorocarbon and a continuous liquid phase encapsulating material. 
     
     
         30 . The pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 29 , wherein the continuous liquid phase encapsulating material is selected from the group consisting of a lipid, a protein, a polymer, a gel, a surfactant, a peptide, and a sugar. 
     
     
         31 . The pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 19 , wherein the composition is formulated for topical, intravenous, or intra-arterial administration. 
     
     
         32 . The pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 19 , further comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.