Systems and methods for forming a cavity in cancellous bone

1. A method for treating an interior body region having a bone wall, the method comprising:

accessing the interior body region with a therapeutic device along a first axis, the therapeutic device including

a catheter tube and

an expandable structure, having a collapsed geometry and an expanded geometry, and including an interior lumen extending through the expandable structure and sized to accommodate passage of an elongated member for directing the expandable structure;

directing the interior lumen along the first axis;

expanding the expandable structure from the collapsed geometry to the expanded geometry within the interior body region; and

moving at least a portion of the bone wall with a force applied by the expandable structure in its expanded geometry.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the elongated member is bendable.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the expandable structure comprises an inflatable chamber.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising accessing the interior body region through a passage.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the passage is naturally occurring.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising collapsing the expandable structure from the expanded geometry to the collapsed geometry;

removing the expandable structure from the interior body region; and

introducing a fluid material into the interior body region.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising collapsing the expandable structure from the expanded geometry to the collapsed geometry;

removing the expandable structure from the interior body region; and

introducing a therapeutic substance into the interior body region.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the elongated member has a preformed shape memory.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising passing the expandable structure through the catheter tube.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising compressing tissue against the bone wall with the expanded structure in its expanded geometry.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the tissue comprises cancellous bone.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the tissue comprises reticulated bone.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the tissue comprises spongy bone.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the tissue comprises medullary bone.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the tissue comprises trabecular bone.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of compressing includes increasing the size of a passage between two portions of the bone wall.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of directing the interior lumen includes directing the interior lumen along a second axis offset from the first axis.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising removing the therapeutic device from the interior body region.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising dilating tissue with the expandable structure in its expanded geometry.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the tissue comprises cancellous bone.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the elongated member is a guidewire.

22. A method for treating an interior body region enclosed, at least in part, by a bone wall, the method comprising:

inserting a catheter tube into the interior body region along a first axis;

inserting a bone manipulation device through the catheter tube, the bone manipulation device including an inflatable chamber and an interior lumen extending through the inflatable chamber;

directing the orientation of the inflatable chamber within the interior body region with an elongated member extended within the interior lumen of the inflatable chamber;

inflating the inflatable chamber; and

displacing at least a portion of the cortical bone wall with a force applied by the inflatable chamber.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of directing includes positioning the interior lumen along a second axis, not aligned with the first axis.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the elongated member has a preformed shape memory.

25. The method of claim 22 further comprising deflating the inflatable chamber;

removing the bone manipulation device from the interior body region; and

introducing a fluid material into the interior body region.

26. The method of claim 22 further comprising deflating the inflatable chamber;

removing the bone manipulation device from the interior body region; and

introducing a therapeutic substance into the interior body region.

27. The method of claim 22 further comprising monitoring the expandable body with medical images.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the medical images are used to perform image guided surgery.

29. The method of claim 22 wherein the bone wall comprises cortical bone.

30. The method of claim 22 wherein the bone wall comprises cancellous bone.

31. A method for treating an interior body region having tissue bounded, at least in part, by a bone wall, the method comprising:

inserting an expandable body into the interior body region thereby creating a passage through the tissue, the expandable body comprising an expandable chamber and an internal tube passing through the expandable chamber;

directing the orientation of the internal tube with an elongated member extended within the internal tube;

expanding the expandable body within the interior body region; and

compressing the tissue against the bone wall with a force applied by the expandable body.

32. The method of claim 31 further comprising moving at least a portion of the bone wall with the force applied by the expandable body.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein the tissue is softer than the bone wall.

34. The method of claim 31 wherein the tissue is cancellous bone.

35. The method of claim 31 further comprising enlarging the passage in the interior body region.

36. The method of claim 32 wherein the step of moving further comprises moving a first portion of the bone wall with respect to a second portion of the bone wall to enlarge the passage.

37. The method of claim 31 wherein the step of expanding includes inflating the expandable chamber.

38. The method of claim 31 further comprising collapsing the expandable body;

removing the expandable body from the passage; and

introducing a fluid material into the interior body region.

39. The method of claim 31 further comprising collapsing the expandable body;

removing the expandable body from the passage; and

introducing a therapeutic substance into the interior body region.

40. The method of claim 31 further comprising inserting the expandable body through a guide tube into the interior body region.

41. The method of claim 31 further comprising fluoroscopically monitoring the expandable body.

42. The method of claim 31 further comprising removing tissue from the interior body region.

43. The method of claim 31 further comprising removing fat from the interior body region.

44. The method of claim 31 further comprising rinsing debris from the interior body region.

45. A method for treating an interior body region enclosed, at least in part, by a bone wall, the method comprising:

accessing the interior body region with a catheter tube;

extending a stiffening member through the catheter tube and into the interior body region;

inserting an expandable body into the interior body region, the expandable body including an interior tube defining an interior lumen sized to receive the stiffening member;

expanding the expandable body within the interior body region;

compressing the tissue against the bone wall with a force applied by the expandable body; and

introducing a therapeutic substance into the interior body region.

46. The method of claim 45 wherein the stiffening member is a guidewire.

47. The method of claim 45 further comprising moving the expandable body along the stiffening member.

48. The method of claim 45 further comprising monitoring the expandable body within the interior body region with medical images.

49. The method of claim 45 further comprising removing the expandable body from the interior body region.

50. The method of claim 45 wherein the step of expanding comprises displacing at least a portion of the bone wall.