Vertebral body having an altered native cancellous bone volume and related treatment methods

Abstract

The native cancellous bone volume of a vertebral body is altered to comprise a region of cancellous bone that has been compressed to form a compressed bone region that peripherally defines a cavity and another region of substantially uncompressed cancellous bone occupying at least a portion of the remaining native cancellous bone volume. A bone filling material occupies the cavity.

1 - 5 . (canceled)  
     
     
         6 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 a catheter; and    an expandable member coupled to the catheter and configured to move cancellous bone in a vertebral body, the expandable member having a first expandable region, a second expandable region and a substantially non-expanding region, the substantially non-expanding region being disposed between the first expandable region and the second expandable regions.    
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the first expandable region and the second expandable region are movable from a collapsed configuration to an expanded configuration, the first expandable region having a height in the collapsed configuration and a height in the expanded configuration different from the height in a collapsed configuration, the substantially non-expanding region having a height that is less than the height of the first expandable region in the expanded configuration.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the substantially non-expanding region includes a crimp disposed between the first expandable region and the second expandable region.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the substantially non-expanding region defines a lumen between the first expandable region and the second expandable region.