METHODS FOR TREATING BONE

• US 20070233249A1
• Filed: 02/07/2007
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Dfine Incorporated (Merit Medical Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dfine Incorporated (Merit Medical Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shadduck, John H.
• Application Number:
  US11/672,414
• Publication Number:
  US 20070233249A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/17.110
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7095 the filler comprising unlinked macroscopic particles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/02 by cooling, e.g. cryogenic techniques devices for cooling specific reflex points of the body within cell-life limits A61H39/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/08 by means of electrically-heated probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1206 Generators therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/564 Methods for bone or joint treatment

Abstract

The present invention relates in certain embodiments to medical devices for treating vertebral compression fractures. In one embodiment, the invention relate to instruments and methods for introducing fill material into a vertebral body that slowly expands vertebral height without explosive balloon expansion as in kyphoplasty. The system provides a fill material that infills a vertebra without flowable bone cement as used in kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty procedures. Thus, the bone fill system prevents the possibility of extravasation of material into the spinal canal which occurs in a significant number of kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty procedures. An energy source can apply energy to a substantially rigid implant material in order to soften, melt, or fracture the implant material to infill a vertebral body.

Claims

1. A method for treating a vertebral body, the method comprising;

advancing an elongated implant body through an introducer and into an interior of a vertebral body, the elongated implant body having a first configuration that is substantially unyielding along a longitudinal axis of the body; and

transforming the implant body to a second configuration that yields its first configuration proximate to a working end of the introducer for infilling a region of the vertebral body.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein transforming the implant body comprises transforming at least a portion of the implant body into a compliant configuration.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein transforming the implant body comprises melting at least a portion of the implant body.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein transforming the implant body comprises fragmenting at least portions of the implant body into non-elongated portions.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein transforming the implant body comprises severing at least a portion of the implant body.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein transforming the implant body comprises applying at least one of thermal energy, mechanical energy and cryogenic cooling to the implant body.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the thermal energy is applied by at least one of an Rf source, a resistive heat source, a light energy source, a microwave source, an ultrasound source, a magnetic source and a cryogenic source.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein advancing the implant body comprises helically driving the implant body.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising introducing an in-situ hardenable material into the interior of the vertebral body.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising applying energy to the hardenable material to alter a flow property thereof.

11. A method for treating a bone, the method comprising;

inserting an introducer into a bone;

helically driving an elongated implant body relative to the introducer, the implant body having a first elongated configuration; and

transforming at least a portion of the implant body into a second non-elongated configuration for infilling a region of the bone.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein transforming the implant body comprises transforming at least portions of the implant body into a compliant configuration.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein transforming the implant body comprises melting at least a portion of the implant body.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein transforming the implant body comprises fragmenting at least a portion of the implant body.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein transforming comprises continuously heating at least a portion of the implant body so as to increase the flexibility of at least a portion thereof.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein transforming the implant body comprises applying thermal energy to the implant body.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein applying thermal energy comprises delivering energy from at least one of a Rf source, a resistive heat source, a light energy source, a microwave source, an ultrasound source, a magnetic source and a chemical source.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein transforming the implant body comprises applying mechanical energy between the implant body and the introducer.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the application of mechanical energy divides the implant body.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the application of mechanical energy fragments the implant body.

21. The method of claim 11, wherein transforming the implant body comprises applying cryogenic cooling to the implant body to fracture at least a portion of the implant body.

22. The method of claim 11, further comprising introducing an in-situ hardenable material into the interior of the bone and applying energy to the in-situ hardenable material to alter a flow property thereof.

23. A method for treating a vertebra, the method comprising

positioning a distal end of an introducer in an interior of a vertebra;

and

helically driving at least one implant body comprising a helical feature through the introducer to thereby deploy the implant body in the interior of the vertebra, the helical feature engaging a cooperating feature on the introducer.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein helically driving comprises helically driving and deploying a plurality of implant elements in the interior of the vertebra.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the plurality of implant elements are coupled with one another.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein helically driving comprises decoupling portions of the implant body from one another.