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Balloon expandable cement director and related methods

  • US 9,126,023 B1
  • Filed: 02/25/2011
  • Issued: 09/08/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2007
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of treating a vertebral body comprising the steps of:

  • creating a cavity in a vertebral body;

    inserting a collapsible mesh structure into the cavity in a collapsed state, wherein the collapsible mesh structure comprises regions of different permeability to a bone cement;

    inflating a balloon within the collapsible mesh structure through a fill passageway with a balloon expansion material to expand the mesh structure having a length; and

    injecting a bone cement into the mesh structure, wherein the bone cement flows out of the mesh structure through at least one region of greater permeability relative to a second region of lesser permeability,wherein the bone cement is injected into the mesh structure through the same fill passageway as the balloon expansion material, and wherein the mesh structure is generally cylindrical in shape, when expanded, such that an outer diameter along at least a portion of the length is substantially constant, and the at least one region of greater permeability includes a plurality of holes positioned along the length of the mesh structure,wherein the mesh structure comprises;

    a first layer comprising a first shape memory material in an austenite phase at body temperature; and

    a second layer comprising a second shape memory material in a martensite phase at body temperature,wherein forming the mesh structure of the austenite layer and the martensite layer enables the balloon to further expand the partially expanded mesh to its fully expanded configuration corresponding to the mesh structure'"'"'s original, undeformed shape prior to collapsing the mesh structure for delivery, the mesh structure providing structural support for the vertebral body upon deployment, and prior to cement injection;

    and deflating the inflated balloon, wherein the mesh structure maintains its fully expanded configuration upon removal of the deflated balloon; and

    removing the deflated balloon from the fully expanded mesh structure.

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