Systems and methods for treating conditions and diseases of the spine

1. A device comprising:

a balloon catheter having an elongated shaft with a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis therebetween, the balloon catheter comprising:

a first inner balloon positioned inside an outer balloon, the balloons located at the distal end of the balloon catheter, the outer balloon having a flat top side and a flat bottom side;

a second inner balloon having an oval shape;

an optical fiber having a core surrounded by a cladding material, the optical fiber comprising:

a nonlinear light-emitting portion including a plurality of spaced apart cuts in the cladding material along a length of the nonlinear light-emitting portion exposing the core so that light energy may be emitted from the core along the length of the nonlinear light-emitting portion; and

a linear elongated portion for guiding light towards the nonlinear light-emitting portion,

wherein the optical fiber has a curved conformation in which the nonlinear light-emitting portion of the optical fiber forms at least one loop around the first inner balloon from inside the outer balloon.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the balloon catheter has an outside diameter ranging from about 3 mm to about 8 mm.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the optical fiber has an outside diameter ranging from about 0.75 mm to about 2.0 mm.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein spaces between the cuts decrease toward a distal end of the optical fiber to harden a light-sensitive fluid in a substantially circumferential uniform light intensity when the optical fiber is in the curved conformation.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the outer balloon has a toroidal shape.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the optical fiber further comprises:

a relaxed condition in which the nonlinear light-emitting portion of the optical fiber assumes the curved conformation;

a stretched condition in which the nonlinear light-emitting portion of the optical fiber has a linear conformation in which the nonlinear light-emitting portion of the optical fiber can be advanced through an inner lumen of the elongated shaft of the balloon catheter; and

a memory which returns the nonlinear light-emitting portion from the stretched condition to the relaxed condition.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein the curved conformation of the nonlinear light-emitting portion forms a candy cane shape.

8. The device of claim 6 wherein the curved conformation of the nonlinear light-emitting portion forms a U shape.

9. The device of claim 6 wherein the curved conformation of the nonlinear light-emitting portion forms a coiled shape having multiple loops.

10. The device of claim 6 wherein the curved conformation of the nonlinear light-emitting portion forms a convoluted shape.

11. The device of claim 6 wherein the nonlinear light-emitting portion includes cuts in the cladding material forming a helical design along a length of the optical fiber.

12. A system for treatment of an intervertebral disc comprising:

a balloon catheter having an elongated shaft with a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis therebetween, the balloon catheter comprising:

a first inner balloon positioned inside an outer balloon, the balloons located at the distal end of the balloon catheter, the outer balloon having a flat top side and a flat bottom side;

a second inner balloon having an oval shape; and

an optical fiber having a core surrounded by a cladding material, the optical fiber comprising:

a nonlinear light-emitting portion including a plurality of spaced apart cuts in the cladding material along a length of the nonlinear light-emitting portion exposing the core so that light energy may be emitted from the core along the length of the nonlinear light-emitting portion;

a linear elongated portion for guiding light towards the nonlinear light-emitting portion;

wherein, the optical fiber has a relaxed condition in which the nonlinear light-emitting portion of the optical fiber assumes a curved conformation, in which the nonlinear light-emitting portion of the optical fiber forms at least one loop around the first inner balloon, and has a stretched condition in which the nonlinear light-emitting portion of the optical fiber has a linear conformation in which the nonlinear light-emitting portion of the optical fiber can be advanced through an inner lumen of the elongated shaft of the balloon catheter;

a light-sensitive fluid; and

a light source.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the first inner balloon and the outer balloon are concentric relative to one another.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the curved conformation of the nonlinear light-emitting portion forms one of a candy cane shape, a U shape or a coiled shape having multiple loops.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein spaces between the cuts decrease toward a distal end of the optical fiber to harden the light-sensitive fluid in a substantially circumferential uniform light intensity when the optical fiber is in the curved conformation.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein the light-sensitive fluid has a viscosity ranging from about 650 cP to about 450 cP.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein the cuts in the cladding material form a helical design along a length of the optical fiber.

18. A method for repairing a vertebral compression fracture comprising:

gaining access to a collapsed vertebrae;

delivering to the collapsed vertebrae, in an unexpanded state, an expandable member having a first inner balloon positioned inside and completely surrounded by an outer balloon;

injecting an inflation fluid into the outer balloon to expand the outer balloon and to temporarily restore height of the collapsed vertebrae;

maintaining the expanded outer balloon while injecting a light-curable fluid into the inner balloon to expand the inner balloon within the expanded outer balloon;

positioning an optical fiber sufficiently designed to emit light energy along a length of the optical fiber inside the expandable member, wherein the optical fiber is connected to a light source;

activating the light source;

delivering light energy to the optical fiber from the light source; and

curing the light-curable fluid inside the inner balloon to harden the inner balloon within the expanded outer balloon.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising removing the inflation fluid from the outer balloon after curing the light-curable fluid inside the inner balloon.