Bone treatment systems and methods

Abstract

The present invention relates in certain embodiments to medical devices for treating osteoplasty procedures such as vertebral compression fractures. More particularly, embodiments of the invention relate to instruments and methods for controllably restoring vertebral body height by controlling the geometry of fill material introduced into cancellous bone. A method of treating bone includes injecting a volume of fill material into a bone and selectively modifying a viscosity of the bone filler to control the direction of flow of the fill material within the bone. A system for treating bone using this method includes an introducer for delivering fill material into the bone and an energy source selectively coupleable to the fill material to alter the viscosity of the fill material via an energy emitter.

1 . An injector system comprising an apparatus for delivering a bone fill material to a vertebra, comprising:
 an injector comprising an elongate cannula at least a portion of which is positionable within a bone, the injector having an interior polymer surface that defines a flow channel extending through the injector to at least one outlet opening; and   a thermal energy emitter operably coupled to the injector, a portion of the interior polymer surface extending downstream from the thermal energy emitter to the at least one outlet opening, the thermal energy emitter configured to apply energy to the bone fill material flowing through the flow channel.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the interior polymer surface comprises a material selected from the group consisting of PEEK (polyether ether ketone), TEFLON, and a polyimide. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an electrical source coupled to the thermal energy emitter. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the thermal energy emitter comprises a resistive heating element. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cannula comprises a metal tube. 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus for delivering a bone cement to a bone, comprising:
 a bone cement injector having a flow channel extending therethrough to at least one outlet in a distal end of the injector, wherein a surface of the flow channel comprises a polymeric layer, the bone cement injector sized for percutaneous advancement into a bone; and   a thermal energy emitter surrounding and operably coupled to the flow channel, the thermal energy emitter coupleable to an electrical source and configured to deliver energy to bone cement flowing through the flow channel.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the thermal energy emitter is at a location spaced apart from the distal end of the injector, such that the polymeric layer extends from the thermal energy emitter to the distal end. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising the electrical source 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the electrical source comprises an RF energy source. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus for delivering a bone cement to a bone, comprising:
 an introducer extending from a proximal end to a distal end and having at least one outlet at the distal end of the introducer, at least a portion of the introducer being removably positionable in bone;   a thermal energy emitter operatively coupled to the introducer so that a flow channel extends through the thermal energy emitter and the introducer to the at least one outlet, the thermal energy emitter coupleable to an energy source and configured to deliver energy to bone cement flowing through the flow channel; and   a polymer surface that extends from the thermal energy emitter to the at least one outlet in the distal end of the introducer, the polymer surface configured to contact bone cement flowing through the flow channel and to facilitate the flow of the bone cement through the introducer.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the energy source comprises at least one of an electrical source, a light energy source, an ultrasound source, a microwave source, a magnetic source, and an Rf energy source. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the thermal energy emitter comprises at least one of a resistive heating element, an optical fiber, and an antenna. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the polymer surface comprises a material selected from the group consisting of PEEK (polyether ether ketone), TEFLON, and a polyimide. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the introducer comprises an elongated cannula. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising a bone cement source wherein the thermal energy emitter is positioned between the bone cement source and the at least one outlet.