Systems and methods for treating bone using expandable bodies

Abstract

An expandable device is introduced into a cancellous bone volume of a vertebral body through a percutaneous access path. The vertebral body has at least one cortical plate that is depressed due to fracture. The expandable device is expanded while disposed within the cancellous bone volume. An expansion barrier placed in association with the expandable device directs expansion of the expandable device in a desired direction to move the fractured cortical plate toward a desired anatomic position.

1 . A method comprising:
 selecting a vertebral body for treatment, the vertebral body having a cortical wall enclosing a cancellous bone volume, the vertebral body having at least one cortical plate that is depressed due to fracture,   providing an expandable device including an expanded configuration and an unexpanded configuration,   introducing the expandable device into the vertebral body through a percutaneous access path while in the unexpanded condition,   expanding the expandable device while disposed within the cancellous bone volume from the unexpanded configuration toward the expanded configuration, and   providing an expansion barrier in association with the expandable device that directs expansion of the expandable device in a desired direction to move the fractured cortical plate toward a desired anatomic position.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1   further including placing a volume of filling material within the cancellous bone volume.   
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 2   wherein the filling material hardens within the vertebral body.   
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 2   wherein the filling material comprises bone cement.   
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1   wherein the expandable device expands by inflation.   
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1   wherein the expandable device comprises a balloon.   
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 1   further including removing the expandable device from the vertebral body.   
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 1   wherein the expansion barrier comprises a device sized and configured to be introduced into the vertebral body through a percutaneous access path and including a platform region sized and configured to be disposed relative to the expandable region of the first tool to define the expansion barrier.   
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 8   wherein the platform region comprises an expandable body.   
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 9   wherein the expandable body is inflatable.   
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 1   wherein the expandable device and the expansion barrier comprise parts of a single device.   
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 1   wherein the expandable device and the expansion barrier comprise separate structures.   
     
     
         13 . A system comprising
 a tool defining a percutaneous access path into a vertebral body having a cortical wall enclosing a cancellous bone volume, the vertebral body having at least one cortical plate that is depressed due to fracture,   an expandable device including an expanded configuration and an unexpanded configuration, the expandable device being sized and configured for introducing into the vertebral body through the percutaneous access path while in the unexpanded condition, the expandable body also being sized and configured to expand while disposed within the cancellous bone volume from the unexpanded configuration toward the expanded configuration,   an expansion barrier sized and configured to be placed into association with the expandable device to directs expansion of the expandable device in a desired direction to move the fractured cortical plate toward a desired anatomic position, and   a tool for placing a volume of filling material within the cancellous bone volume.   
     
     
         14 . A system according to  claim 13   wherein the filling material comprises bone cement.   
     
     
         15 . A system according to  claim 13   wherein the expandable device expands by inflation.   
     
     
         16 . A system according to  claim 13   wherein the expandable device comprises a balloon.   
     
     
         17 . A system according to  claim 13   wherein the expansion barrier comprises a device sized and configured to be introduced into the vertebral body through the percutaneous access path and including a platform region sized and configured to be disposed relative to the expandable device to define the expansion barrier.   
     
     
         18 . A system according to  claim 17   wherein the platform region comprises an expandable body.   
     
     
         19 . A system according to  claim 18   wherein the platform region is inflatable.   
     
     
         20 . A system according to  claim 13   wherein the expandable device and the expansion barrier comprise parts of a single device.   
     
     
         21 . A system according to  claim 13   wherein the expandable device and the expansion barrier comprise separate structures.   
     
     
         22 . A method comprising:
 selecting a vertebral body for treatment, the vertebral body having a cortical wall enclosing a cancellous bone volume, the vertebral body having at least one cortical plate that is depressed due to fracture,   providing a first tool comprising an expandable device including an expanded configuration and an unexpanded configuration to move the fractured cortical plate toward a desired anatomic position,   providing a second tool comprising an expansion barrier that directs expansion of the expandable device in a desired direction,   introducing the first tool and second tool into the vertebral body through a percutaneous access path,   placing the expansion barrier into association with the expandable device within the cancellous bone volume,   expanding the expandable device from the unexpanded configuration toward the expanded configuration while the expansion barrier directs expansion of the expandable device in a desired direction to move the fractured cortical plate toward a desired anatomic position, and   placing a volume of filling material within the cancellous bone volume.   
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 22   wherein the filling material comprises bone cement.   
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 22   wherein the expandable device expands by inflation.   
     
     
         25 . A method according to  claim 22   wherein the expandable device comprises a balloon.