Inflatable device for use in surgical protocol relating to fixation of bone

Abstract

A balloon for use in compressing cancellous bone and marrow (also known as medullary bone or trabecular bone) against the inner cortex of bones whether the bones are fractured or not. The balloon comprises an inflatable, non-expandable balloon body for insertion into said bone. The body has a shape and size to compress at least a portion of the cancellous bone to form a cavity in the cancellous bone and to restore the original position of the outer cortical bone, if fractured or collapsed. The balloon is prevented from applying excessive pressure to the outer cortical bone. The wall or walls of the balloon are such that proper inflation the balloon body is achieved to provide for optimum compression of all the bone marrow. The balloon is able to be folded so that it can be inserted quickly into a bone. The balloon can be made to have a suction catheter. The main purpose of the balloon is the forming or enlarging of a cavity or passage in a bone, especially in, but not limited to, vertebral bodies.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A device for insertion into a vertebral body to apply a force capable of compacting cancellous bone and moving fractured cortical bone, the device including a catheter extending along an axis and having a distal end sized and configured for insertion through a cannula into the vertebral body, the catheter carrying near its distal end an inflatable body having a wall sized and configured for passage within the cannula into the vertebral body when the inflatable body is in a collapsed condition, the wall being further sized and configured to apply the force in response to expansion of the inflatable body within the vertebral body, the wall including, when inflated, opposed side surfaces extending along an elongated longitudinal axis that is substantially aligned with the axis of the catheter, the inflatable body having a height of approximately 0.5 cm to 3.5 cm, an anterior to posterior dimension of approximately 0.5 cm to 3.5 cm, and a side to side dimension of approximately 0.5 cm to 5.0 cm.  
     
     
         2 . A device according to  claim 1   wherein the side dimension is approximately 0.5 cm to 3.5 cm.    
     
     
         3 . A device according to  claim 1   wherein the inflatable body comprises a balloon.    
     
     
         4 . A device according to  claim 1   wherein the cannula is a percutaneous cannula.    
     
     
         5 . A device according to  claim 1   wherein the wall includes changes in wall thickness which restrain the opposed side surfaces from expanding beyond a substantially flat condition.    
     
     
         6 . A device according to  claim 1   wherein the wall includes an internal restraint which restrains the opposed side surfaces from expanding beyond a substantially flat condition.    
     
     
         7 . A device according to  claim 6   wherein the internal restraint includes mesh material.    
     
     
         8 . A device according to  claim 6   wherein the internal restraint includes string material.    
     
     
         9 . A device according to  claim 6   wherein the internal restraint includes woven material.    
     
     
         10 . A device according to  claim 6   wherein the internal restraint includes a seam.    
     
     
         11 . A device according to  claim 6   wherein the internal restraint includes an essentially non-elastic material.    
     
     
         12 . A device according to  claim 1   wherein the wall includes an external restraint which restrain the opposed side surfaces from expanding beyond a substantially flat condition.    
     
     
         13 . A device according to  claim 12   wherein the external restraint includes mesh material.    
     
     
         14 . A device according to  claim 12   wherein the external restraint includes string material.    
     
     
         15 . A device according to  claim 12   wherein the external restraint includes woven material.    
     
     
         16 . A device according to  claim 12   wherein the external restraint includes a seam.    
     
     
         17 . A device according to  claim 12   wherein the external restraint includes an essentially non-elastic material.