Systems and methods for placing materials into bone

1. A method comprising

deploying a cannula through soft tissue to establish a subcutaneous path into bone,

deploying a cavity forming instrument through the cannula to form a cavity in cancellous bone, and

introducing a material into the cavity through the cannula including injecting first and second portions of the material respectively into the cavity and into the interior of the cannula and then advancing a tamping instrument through the cannula to urge the second portion of the material from the interior of the cannula into the cavity.

2. A method according to claim 1

wherein introducing includes delivering material at a pressure no greater than about 360 psi.

3. A method according to claim 2

wherein introducing includes using a manual syringe.

4. A method according to claim 1

wherein the material comprises bone cement.

5. A method according to claim 1

wherein the material comprises autograft tissue.

6. A method according to claim 1

wherein the material comprises allograft tissue.

7. A method according to claim 1

wherein the material comprises synthetic bone substitute.

8. A method according to claim 1

wherein the material comprises medication.

9. A method according to claim 1

wherein the material comprises a material that sets to a hardened condition.

10. A method according to claim 1

wherein the cavity forming instrument includes an expandable body, and

wherein deploying the cavity forming instrument includes expanding the expandable body to form the cavity.

11. A method according to claim 10

wherein expanding the expandable body compresses cancellous bone.

12. A method according to claim 10

wherein expanding the expandable body moves fractured cortical bone.

13. A method according to claim 10

wherein the expandable body expands by inflation.

14. A method according to claim 10

wherein the expandable body includes a balloon.