Bone treatment systems and methods
First Claim
1. A method of treating bone, comprising:
- providing bone cement injector system with a distal portion positioned in a bone, wherein the distal portion of the injector system comprises an introducer having an interior channel;
providing a bone cement flow through the injector system; and
introducing vapor into the bone cement flow from at least one vapor outlet in the interior channel of the introducer of the injector system, wherein the vapor provides thermal energy sufficient to heat the bone cement flow prior to its ejection from the distal portion of the injector system and to accelerate polymerization of the bone cement.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates in certain embodiments to methods, systems, and devices for treating vertebral compression fractures. In one embodiment, a bone cement injector is advanced into bone and injects a bone cement flow through the injector and a vapor flow from at least one vapor outlet in the injector. In another embodiment, the bone treatment system comprises an elongated member having a flow passageway, a bone fill material source, and a vapor source coupleable to the flow passageway. Still another embodiment describes a vapor injection device having an elongated member with a flow passageway, the elongated member configured for insertion into a bone and for delivering a bone fill material through the flow passageway, and having at least one vapor channel in communication with the flow passageway to deliver a vapor into the flow passageway to heat a bone fill material flow.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method of treating bone, comprising:
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providing bone cement injector system with a distal portion positioned in a bone, wherein the distal portion of the injector system comprises an introducer having an interior channel; providing a bone cement flow through the injector system; and introducing vapor into the bone cement flow from at least one vapor outlet in the interior channel of the introducer of the injector system, wherein the vapor provides thermal energy sufficient to heat the bone cement flow prior to its ejection from the distal portion of the injector system and to accelerate polymerization of the bone cement. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of treating bone, comprising:
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providing bone cement injector system with a distal portion positioned in a bone, wherein the distal portion of the injector system comprises an introducer having an interior channel; providing a bone cement flow through the injector system; and introducing vapor into the bone cement flow from at least one vapor outlet in the interior channel of the introducer of the injector system, wherein the vapor heats the bone cement flow prior to its ejection from the distal portion of the injector system, wherein the vapor is adapted to accelerate polymerization of the bone cement, and wherein introducing vapor into the bone cement flow includes introducing vapor via an annular channel in the introducer, the annular channel disposed about the interior channel of the introducer.
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13. A method of treating bone, comprising:
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inserting at least a distal portion of an introducer of a bone cement injector system into a bone, wherein the introducer comprises an interior channel; delivering a bone cement flow through the interior channel of the introducer into the bone; and introducing vapor into the bone cement flow via at least one vapor outlet in the interior channel of the introducer of the injector system, wherein the vapor provides thermal energy sufficient to heat the bone cement flow prior to its ejection from the distal portion of the introducer and to accelerate polymerization of the bone cement. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification