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Systems and methods for navigating an instrument through bone

  • US 8,419,730 B2
  • Filed: 09/25/2009
  • Issued: 04/16/2013
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2008
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for channeling a path into bone to a treatment location in a body of a patient, comprising:

  • inserting a trocar into a region of bone near the treatment location, the trocar having a central channel and an opening at a distal tip of the trocar;

    delivering a curved cannula through said central channel of said trocar to said opening,wherein the curved cannula comprises a deflectable distal tip with a preformed curve such that the deflectable distal tip straightens while being delivered through the trocar and regains its preformed curve upon exiting the trocar;

    extending the curved cannula past the opening at the distal tip of the trocar to generate a curved path in the bone corresponding to the preformed curve of the deflectable distal tip;

    inserting a channeling stylet into the curved cannula,wherein the channeling stylet is flexibly deformable to navigate the curved cannula yet rigid enough to retain a straight form upon exiting the deflectable distal tip of the curved cannula and wherein the channeling stylet is longer than the curved cannula;

    creating a linear working channel starting at a distal end of the curved path formed by the curved cannula by extending the channeling stylet past the deflectable distal tip of the curved cannula;

    removing the channeling stylet from the curved cannula; and

    delivering a treatment device through a central passageway in said curved cannula to the treatment location within the linear working channel beyond the curved path.

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