Methods and devices for treating fractured and/or diseased bone using an expandable stent structure
View Patent ↗A percutaneous path is established into a selected bone having an interior volume occupied, at least in part, by a cancellous bone, e.g., a vertebral body. An expandable stent structure is introduced into the cancellous bone by deployment of a tool through the percutaneous path into the cancellous bone. The expandable stent structure is expanded within cancellous bone.
1. A method comprising:
creating a percutaneous path into a bone having an interior volume occupied, at least in part, by a cancellous bone;
introducing an expandable stent structure having openings permitting fluid communication between an interior of the expandable stent structure and an interior volume of an expandable cavity-forming device into the cancellous bone by deployment of a tool through the percutaneous path into the cancellous bone; and
expanding the expandable stent structure within cancellous bone by injecting a medium through the openings in the expandable stent structure into the interior volume of the expandable cavity-forming device such that the cavity-forming device and the expandable stent structure are expanded to form the cavity.
2. A method according to claim 1 further including conveying a filling material into the cancellous bone to occupy the cancellous bone and the expandable stent structure.
3. A method according to claim 2 wherein the filling material comprises at least one of a bone cement, curable bio-material, allograft tissue, autograft tissue, an synthetic bone substitute.
4. A method according to claim 1 further including forming a cavity in the cancellous bone prior to introduction of the expandable stent structure.
5. A method according to claim 4 further including conveying a filling material into the cancellous bone to occupy the cancellous bone with the expandable stent structure.
6. A method according to claim 5 wherein the filling material comprises at least one of a bone cement, curable bio-material, allograft tissue, autograft tissue, and synthetic bone substitute.
7. A method according to claim 1 further including forming a cavity in the cancellous bone after introduction of the expandable stent structure.
8. A method according to claim 7 further including conveying a filling material into the cancellous bone to occupy the cancellous bone with the expandable stent structure.
9. A method according to claim 8 wherein the filling material comprises at least one of a bone cement, curable bio-material, allograft tissue, autograft tissue, an synthetic bone substitute.
10. A method according to claim 1 further including manipulating a second tool to withdraw the second tool through the access path, leaving the expandable stent structure within the cancellous bone.
11. A method according to claim 1 wherein the bone comprises a vertebral body.
12. A method according to claim 11 wherein the percutaneous path is established through a pedicle of the vertebral body.
13. A method according to claim 1 further including removing the cavity-forming device and leaving the stent within the cavity.
14. A method according to claim 1 wherein using the cavity-forming device includes expanding a balloon catheter within the stent.
15. A method according to claim 14 wherein expanding the balloon catheter within the stent includes simultaneous expansion of the balloon catheter and the stent.
16. A method according to claim 14 wherein using the cavity-forming device includes collapsing the balloon catheter and removing the balloon catheter from the cavity after expansion of the stent.