Systems and methods for vertebral or other bone structure height restoration and stabilization

1. A method for stabilizing a bone structure of a patient, the method comprising:

directing a first expandable member in a contracted state to a first location within the bone structure;

directing a second expandable member in a contracted state to a second location within the bone structure, the second location being spaced from the first location;

transitioning the first expandable member to an expanded state that forms a first cavity within the bone structure;

transitioning the second expandable member to an expanded state that forms a second cavity within the bone structure;

transitioning the first expandable member from the expanded state to the contracted state while maintaining the second expandable member in the expanded state;

removing the first expandable member from the bone structure;

delivering a curable material into the first cavity while the second expandable member remains in the expanded state within the bone structure at the second location;

transitioning the second expandable member from the expanded state to the contracted state;

removing the second expandable member from the bone structure; and

delivering a curable material into the second cavity.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second expandable members are balloons.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein transitioning the first expandable member to an expanded state includes injecting a pressurized inflation medium into the balloon of the first expandable member.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the balloon of the second expandable member is exteriorly coated with an anti-sticking material.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the anti-sticking material includes silicone and is configured to resist bonding with the curable material delivered into the first cavity.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein a height of the bone structure increases in response to at least one of the steps of transitioning the first and second expandable members to an expanded state.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

allowing the curable material delivered into the first cavity to harden while the second expandable member remains in the expanded state within the bone structure at the second location prior to the step of transitioning the second expandable member from the expanded state to the contracted state.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bone structure is a fractured vertebral body.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first and second expandable members are delivered within the vertebral body by first and second cannulas, respectively, arranged in a bipedicular fashion relative to the vertebral body.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein:

prior to the steps of transitioning the first and second expandable members to the expanded state, the vertebral body has a fractured height; and

following the steps of transitioning the first and second expandable members to the expanded state and prior to the step of delivering a curable material into the first cavity, the vertebral body has a restored height that is greater than the fractured height.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

allowing the curable material delivered to the first cavity to harden; and

allowing the curable material delivered to the second cavity to harden;

wherein following the steps of allowing the curable material to harden, the vertebral body remains substantially at the restored height.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the restored height approximates a natural height of the vertebral body prior to fracture.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein a composition of the curable material delivered to the first cavity differs from a composition of the curable material delivered to the second cavity.

14. A method for stabilizing a vertebral body of a patient, the method comprising:

a) directing a first expandable member in a contracted state to a first location within the vertebral body;

b) directing a second expandable member in a contracted state to a second location within the vertebral body, the second location being spaced from the first location;

c) transitioning the first expandable member to an expanded state that forms a first cavity within the vertebral body;

d) transitioning the second expandable member to an expanded state that forms a second cavity within the vertebral body;

e) transitioning the first expandable member from the expanded state to the contracted state while maintaining the second expandable member in the expanded state;

f) removing the first expandable member from the vertebral body;

g) delivering a curable material into the first cavity;

h) transitioning the second expandable member from the expanded state to the contracted state;

removing the second expandable member from the vertebral body; and

delivering a curable material into the second cavity.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first and second expandable members are balloons.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein following step g) and prior to step h) the method further comprising:

allowing the curable material delivered into the first cavity to harden.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the step g) includes a portion of the curable material delivered into the first cavity coming into contact with the second expandable member, and the step of allowing the curable material delivered into the first cavity to harden includes the portion of the curable material in contact with the second expandable member not bonding to the second expandable member.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the second expandable member is a balloon exteriorly coated with silicone to resist bonding with the curable material.