Expandable structures for deployment in interior body regions

• US 20070299460A9
• Filed: 02/23/2004
• Published: 12/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Orthophoenix, LLC (Marathon Patent Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kyphon Incorporated
• Inventors: Boucher, Ryan, Talmadge, Karen, Scribner, Robert, Reiley, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 7,722,624 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/191
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/68 Internal fixation devices , including fasteners and spinal fixators, even if a part thereof projects from the skin bone staples A61B17/0642
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7095 the filler comprising unlinked macroscopic particles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8855 inflatable, e.g. kyphoplasty balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00539 hydraulically
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00544 pneumatically
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/1027 Making of balloon catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/1029 Production methods of the balloon members, e.g. blow-moulding, extruding, deposition or by wrapping a plurality of layers of balloon material around a mandril

Abstract

An expandable structure carried at the end of a catheter tube assembly can be contracted and/or wrapped to present a reduced profile during deployment and/or removal from a targeted tissue site.

Claims

1. A method for treating bone comprising

providing a structure having opposite ends spaced along an axis, the structure being adapted to undergo expansion outwardly about the axis, the structure having a normally unwrapped condition having an outside diameter,

placing the structure in a wrapped condition by wrapping the structure inwardly about the axis to reduce the outside diameter,

inserting the structure, while in the wrapped condition, into bone,

returning the structure in the unwrapped condition inside bone, and

causing expansion of the structure in cancellous bone.

2. A method according to claim 1

further including introducing a material into the bone.

3. A method according to claim 1

wherein the expansion compacts cancellous bone.

4. A method according to claim 1

wherein the expansion forms a cavity in cancellous bone.

5. A method according to claim 4

further including filling the cavity with a material.

6. A method according to claim 5

wherein the material comprises bone cement.

7. A method according to claim 5

wherein the material comprises synthetic bone substitute.

8. A method according to claim 5

wherein the material comprises a flowable material that sets to a hardened condition.

9. A method according to claim 1

wherein expansion moves cortical bone.

10. A method according to claim 1

further including, after the expansion, reducing the size of the structure for removal from the bone.

11. A method according to claim 10

wherein the reducing includes placing the structure in the wrapped condition.

12. A method according to claim 1

wherein the wrapping includes causing differential rotation of one end of the structure about the axis relative to the other end.