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  Systems and methods for treating vertebral bodiesRelated Patent Categories: Surgery, Instruments, Orthopedic Instrumentation, Means For Use In Bone ReperationThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070282346. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a divisional of co-pending patent application Ser. No. 10/640,790 filed 14 Aug. 2003, which is a divisional of application Ser. No. 09/905,170 filed 13 Jul. 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,641,587, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/134,323 filed 14 Aug. 1998, and entitled Systems and Methods for Placing Materials into Bone, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,734, and which claims the benefit of provisional application Ser. No. 60/218,237 filed 14 Jul. 2000. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The invention generally relates to the treatment of bone conditions in humans and other animals. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] The deployment of expandable structures, generically called "balloons," into cancellous bone is known. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,969,888 and 5,108,404 disclose apparatus and methods using expandable structures in cancellous bone for the fixation of fractures or other osteoporotic and non-osteoporotic conditions of human and animal bones. [0004] As part of a fracture fixation procedure, bone cement or other therapeutic compound can be injected into a targeted bone to repair and/or augment the target bone. Several companies offer bone cement injection devices. These devices are similar to a household caulking gun. Typically, the injection device has a pistol-shaped body, which supports a cartridge containing bone cement. The cement is typically in two-parts and must be mixed in a mixer and transferred into the cartridge for injection. [0005] Just after mixing, and prior to curing, the cement is in a flowing, viscous liquid state, similar to a syrup or watery pancake batter in consistency. The injection device has a ram, which is actuated by a manually movable trigger or screwing mechanism for pushing the viscous bone cement out the front of the cartridge through a suitable nozzle and into the interior of a bone targeted for treatment. [0006] Once injected into the targeted bone, the cement undergoes a curing cycle of perhaps 6 to 8 minutes. While curing, the cement passes from a viscous liquid to a putty-like consistency and finally to a hard rigid block. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] The invention provides, in its various aspects, greater control over the placement of cement and other flowable liquids into bone. Moreover, the invention facilitates the injection of highly viscous filling material into the bone, either into a cavity formed within the bone, or directly into the bone. [0008] Features and advantages of the inventions are set forth in the following Description and Drawings, as well as in the appended Claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0009] FIG. 1 is a lateral view of a human spinal column; [0010] FIG. 2 is a representative coronal view, with portions broken away and in section, of a human vertebral body, which is part of the spinal column shown in FIG. 1; [0011] FIG. 3 is a lateral view, with portions broken away and in section, of several vertebral bodies, which are part of the spinal column shown in FIG. 1; [0012] FIG. 4 is a plan view of a tool which carries at its distal end an expandable structure, which, in use, compresses cancellous bone, the structure being shown in a collapsed condition; [0013] FIG. 5 is enlarged side view of the expandable structure carried by the tool shown in FIG. 4; [0014] FIG. 6 is a coronal view of the vertebral body shown in FIG. 2, with a single tool shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 deployed through a posterolateral access in a collapsed condition; [0015] FIG. 7 is a coronal view of the vertebral body and tool shown in FIG. 6, with the tool in an expanded condition to compress cancellous bone and form a cavity; [0016] FIG. 8 is a coronal view of the vertebral body shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, with the tool removed after formation of the cavity; [0017] FIG. 9A is a coronal view of the vertebral body shown in FIG. 8, with the cavity filled with a material that strengthens the vertebral body; [0018] FIG. 9B depicts an alternate method of filling a cavity within a vertebral body; [0019] FIG. 9C depicts the vertebral body of FIG. 9B, wherein the cavity is approximately half-filled with material; Continue reading... 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