Adjuvant brachytherapy apparatus and method for use with kyphoplasty

1 . A method for administering radiation therapy along with a spinal vertebral kyphoplasty, comprising:

in the kyphoplasty procedure, following placement of at least one cannula obliquely into the body of a collapsed or damaged vertebra and inflation of a fracture zone with a fluid delivered via the cannula, inserting through the cannula an expandable brachytherapy balloon applicator within the fracture zone,

through a shaft of the balloon applicator, inflating a balloon of the applicator within the expanded fracture zone with an inflation fluid,

inserting through the applicator shaft a radiation source suitable for irradiating the vertebral tissue surrounding the cavity, the source being mounted at the end of a catheter or cable,

causing the source to emit therapeutic radiation to the cavity surfaces and into the diseased bone of the vertebra,

removing the radiation source and catheter or cable through the shaft and cannula,

draining the balloon of inflation fluid, and removing the balloon applicator through the cannula,

through the cannula, substantially filling the cavity with cement to stabilize the realigned position of the fractured vertebra, and

removing the cannula from the vertebra.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the balloon of the balloon applicator includes an absorptive covering, and the method including delivering a radiosensitizing agent by perfusion through the absorptive covering to surfaces of the fracture zone, prior to emitting radiation to the cavity surfaces.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of inserting the expandable brachytherapy balloon applicator immediately follows removal of a kyphoplasty balloon which has been used to expand the fracture zone.

4 . A method for administering radiation therapy along with a spinal vertebral kyphoplasty, comprising:

in the kyphoplasty procedure, following placement of at least one cannula obliquely into the body of a collapsed or damaged vertebra and inflation of a fracture zone with a fluid delivered via the cannula, inserting through the cannula a radiation source suitable for irradiating the vertebral tissue surrounding the cavity, the source being mounted at the end of a catheter or cable,

causing the source to emit therapeutic radiation to the cavity surfaces and into the diseased bone of the vertebra,

removing the radiation source and catheter or cable through the shaft and cannula,

through the cannula, substantially filling the cavity with cement to stabilize the realigned position of the fractured vertebra, and

removing the cannula from the vertebra.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the step of inserting the radiation source follows removal of a kyphoplasty balloon which has been used to expand the fracture zone.

6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the step of inserting the radiation source follows use of a kyphoplasty balloon to expand the fracture zone by inflation using said fluid delivered via the cannula, and the step of inserting a radiation source comprises inserting the radiation source into the kyphoplasty balloon which has been left in place, such that the emission of the therapeutic radiation by the source is performed from within the balloon, and the method including removing the balloon prior to filling the cavity with cement.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the fluid delivered into the balloon comprises a radiation attenuating fluid, through which the radiation source emits the therapeutic radiation.

8 . The method of claim 4 , wherein, prior to the step of inserting a radiation source, a kyphoplasty balloon which has been used to inflate and expand the fracture zone with said fluid is drained and removed, then a brachytherapy balloon applicator is inserted into the fracture zone through the cannula and inflated with an attenuating fluid using a shaft of the applicator extending through the cannula, so that the emission of radiation is from within the fluid-filled balloon applicator, and including draining and removing the balloon applicator prior to filling the cavity with cement.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the balloon of the brachytherapy balloon applicator includes an absorptive covering, and the method including delivering a radiosensitizing agent by perfusion through the absorptive covering to surfaces of the fracture zone, prior to emitting radiation to the cavity surfaces.

10 . The method of claim 4 , further including, prior to inserting the radiation source through the cannula, applying a radiosensitizing agent to surfaces of the fracture zone of the vertebra.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the application of the radiosensitizing is via swabbing, through the cannula.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the application of the radiosensitizing agent is by delivering a liquid radiosensitizing agent through the cannula.