Systems and methods for treating bone using expandable bodies
An expandable device is introduced into a cancellous bone volume of a vertebral body through a percutaneous access path. The expandable device is expanded while disposed within the cancellous bone volume. An expansion barrier placed in association with the expandable device directs expansion of the expandable device in a desired direction to create a cavity in the cancellous bone volume.
1 . A method comprising:
selecting a vertebral body for treatment, the vertebral body having a cortical wall enclosing a cancellous bone volume,
providing an expandable device including an expanded configuration and an unexpanded configuration,
introducing the expandable device into the vertebral body through a percutaneous access path while in the unexpanded condition,
expanding the expandable device while disposed within the cancellous bone volume from the unexpanded configuration toward the expanded configuration, and
providing an expansion barrier in association with the expandable device that directs expansion of the expandable device in a desired direction to create a cavity in the cancellous bone volume.
2 . A method according to claim 1
further including placing a volume of filling material into the cavity.
3 . A method according to claim 2
wherein the filling material hardens within the cavity.
4 . A method according to claim 2
wherein the filling material comprises bone cement.
5 . A method according to claim 1
wherein the expandable device expands by inflation.
6 . A method according to claim 1
wherein the expandable device comprises a balloon.
7 . A method according to claim 1
further including removing the expandable device from the vertebral body.
8 . A method according to claim 1
wherein the expansion barrier comprises a device sized and configured to be introduced into the vertebral body through a percutaneous access path and including a platform region sized and configured to be disposed relative to the expandable region of the first tool to define the expansion barrier.
9 . A method according to claim 8
wherein the platform region comprises an expandable body.
10 . A method according to claim 9
wherein the expandable body is inflatable.
11 . A method according to claim 1
wherein the expandable device and the expansion barrier comprise parts of a single device.
12 . A method according to claim 1
wherein the expandable device and the expansion barrier comprise separate structures.
13 . A system comprising
a tool defining a percutaneous access path into a vertebral body having a cortical wall enclosing a cancellous bone volume,
an expandable device including an expanded configuration and an unexpanded configuration, the expandable device being sized and configured for introducing into the vertebral body through the percutaneous access path while in the unexpanded condition, the expandable device also being sized and configured to expand while disposed within the cancellous bone volume from the unexpanded configuration toward the expanded configuration,
an expansion barrier sized and configured to be placed into association with the expandable device to directs expansion of the expandable device in a desired direction to create a cavity in the cancellous bone volume, and
a tool for placing a volume of filling material into the cavity.
14 . A system according to claim 13
wherein the filling material comprises bone cement.
15 . A system according to claim 13
wherein the expandable device expands by inflation.
16 . A system according to claim 13
wherein the expandable device comprises a balloon.
17 . A system according to claim 13
wherein the expansion barrier comprises a device sized and configured to be introduced into the vertebral body through the percutaneous access path and including a platform region sized and configured to be disposed relative to the expandable device to define the expansion barrier.
18 . A system according to claim 17
wherein the platform region comprises an expandable body.
19 . A system according to claim 18
wherein the platform region is inflatable.
20 . A system according to claim 13
wherein the expandable device and the expansion barrier comprise parts of a single device.
21 . A system according to claim 13
wherein the expandable device and the expansion barrier comprise separate structures.
22 . A method comprising:
selecting a vertebral body for treatment, the vertebral body having a cortical wall enclosing a cancellous bone volume,
providing a first tool comprising an expandable device including an expanded configuration and an unexpanded configuration to create a cavity in the cancellous bone volume,
providing a second tool comprising an expansion barrier that directs expansion of the expandable device in a desired direction,
introducing the first tool and second tool into the vertebral body through a percutaneous access path,
placing the expansion barrier into association with the expandable device within the cancellous bone volume,
expanding the expandable device from the unexpanded configuration toward the expanded configuration while the expansion barrier directs expansion of the expandable device in a desired direction to create the cavity, and
placing a volume of filling material into the cavity.
23 . A method according to claim 22
wherein the filling material comprises bone cement.
24 . A method according to claim 22
wherein the expandable device expands by inflation.
25 . A method according to claim 22
wherein the expandable device comprises a balloon.