Bone treatment systems and methods

• US 8,764,761 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2013
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dfine Incorporated (Merit Medical Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dfine Incorporated (Merit Medical Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Truckai, Csaba, Shadduck, John
• Primary Examiner(s): BOLES, SAMEH RAAFAT
• Application Number:
  US13/858,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20130226142A1
• Time in Patent Office: 449 Days
• Field of Search: 606 92- 94
• US Class Current: 606/93
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/88 Osteosynthesis instruments; Methods or means for implanting or extracting internal or external fixation devices A61B17/7074 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8805 for introducing fluid filler into bone or extracting it A61B17/7097, A61B17/8833 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8811 characterised by the introducer tip, i.e. the part inserted into or onto the bone
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8816 characterised by the conduit, e.g. tube, along which fluid flows into the body or by conduit connections
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8822 characterised by means facilitating expulsion of fluid from the introducer, e.g. a screw pump plunger, hydraulic force transmissions, application of vibrations or a vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8836 for heating, cooling or curing of bone cement or fluid fillers

Abstract

Systems and methods for treating bone, such as vertebral compression fractures are disclosed. A method includes controllably applying energy to a bone cement volume outside of a patient'"'"'s body to selectively accelerate the polymerization rate of the bone fill material volume prior to introduction into a bone. The method further includes sequentially introducing a plurality of cement carrying structures with the accelerated polymerization rate bone cement volume into the bone. A system for use in the method includes at least one elongated cement-carrying structure sized to carry a bone cement volume therein and an energy source operatively coupleable to the cement-carrying structure. The energy source applies energy to the bone cement volume to selectively accelerate a polymerization rate thereof. An elongated injector insertable into the bone has a passageway that removably receives the elongated cement-carrying structure to allow delivery of the accelerated polymerization rate bone cement into the bone.

Claims

1. A method of treating a vertebra comprising the steps of:

providing at least one elongated structure carrying a mixed bone fill material;

disposing the elongated structure within an elongated passage of a housing comprising an energy emitter;

controllably applying energy from an energy source with the energy emitter to the mixed bone fill material to selectively accelerate polymerization of the bone fill material outside of a patient'"'"'s body;

inserting at least a portion of an elongated injector into a vertebral body, wherein the housing is separate from the elongated structure and the elongated injector;

removably inserting at least a portion of the at least one elongated structure into the elongated injector; and

delivering the mixed bone fill material with said accelerated polymerization into the vertebral body.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising controllably applying energy to the mixed bone fill material while the elongated structure is releasably received within a housing.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the mixed bone fill material comprises an uncured bone fill material mixture.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising cooling the at least one elongated structure carrying the mixed bone fill material to retard the polymerization rate of the mixed bone fill material.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein controllably applying energy includes applying energy to the mixed bone fill material when the at least one structure is de-coupled from the injector.