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 to create a cavity. A volume of filling material is placed within the cavity. The filling material includes a therapeutic substance.
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 to create a cavity in the cancellous bone volume, and
placing a volume of filling material within the cavity, the filling material including a therapeutic substance.
2 . A method according to claim 1
further including controlling the expansion so that the expandable device expands more in an inferior-to-superior direction than in a lateral direction.
3 . A method according to claim 1
wherein the expansion is capable of moving fractured cortical bone toward a desired anatomic position.
4 . A method according to claim 1
wherein the filling material hardens within the vertebral body.
5 . A method according to claim 1
wherein the filling material comprises bone cement.
6 . A method according to claim 1
wherein the expandable device expands by inflation.
7 . A method according to claim 1
wherein the expandable device comprises a balloon.
8 . A method according to claim 1
further including removing the expandable device from the vertebral body.
9 . A method according to claim 2
wherein expansion is controlled by restraining expansion of the expandable device in the lateral direction.
10 . A method according to claim 9
wherein expansion is restrained by providing restraints external to the expandable device.
11 . A method according to claim 9
wherein expansion is restrained by providing restraints internal to the expandable device.
12 . A method according to claim 9
wherein expansion is restrained by providing a wall on the expandable device that varies in wall thickness.
13 . A method according to claim 1
wherein the therapeutic substance comprises an antibiotic, or a bone growth factor, or an osteoporosis drug.
14 . A system comprising:
an expandable device including an expanded configuration and an unexpanded configuration sized and configured for introduction into a vertebral body through a percutaneous access path while in the unexpanded condition, the vertebral body having a cortical wall enclosing a cancellous bone volume, the expandable device also being sized and configured for expansion while disposed within the cancellous bone volume to create a cavity in the cancellous bone volume,
a filling material including a therapeutic substance, and
a tool for placing a volume of filling material within the cavity.
15 . A system according to claim 14
wherein the expandable device is sized and configured to expand more in an inferior-to-superior direction than in a lateral direction.
16 . A system according to claim 14
wherein the expandable device is sized and configured, when expanding, to move fractured cortical bone toward a desired anatomic position.
17 . A system according to claim 14
wherein the filling material also comprises bone cement.
18 . A system according to claim 14
wherein the expandable device expands by inflation.
19 . A system according to claim 14
wherein the expandable device comprises a balloon.
20 . A system according to claim 14
wherein the expandable device includes material restraining expansion of the expandable device in the lateral direction.
21 . A system according to claim 14
wherein the expandable device includes restraints external to the expandable device.
22 . A system according to claim 14
wherein the expandable device includes restraints internal to the expandable device.
23 . A system according to claim 14
wherein the expandable device includes a wall that varies in wall thickness.
24 . A system according to claim 14
wherein the therapeutic substance comprises an antibiotic, or a bone growth factor, or an osteoporosis drug.