Method and apparatus for distracting a joint

A joint-spacing balloon catheter comprising:

• a shaft having a distal end and a proximal end;
• at least one balloon mounted to the distal end of the shaft;
• and
• a handle attached to the proximal end of the shaft.

A method for creating space in a joint formed at the convergence of two bones in a hip joint, the method comprising:

• providing a balloon catheter comprising a flexible shaft having a distal portion and a proximal portion and at least two balloons mounted to the distal portion of the shaft;
• applying an external force to a body part so as to separate the two bones from one another by a distance which is greater than the distance that they are normally separated from one another when the hip joint is in a healthy state, whereby to distract the hip joint and create an intrajoint space;
• inserting the balloon catheter into the intrajoint space while the at least two balloons are in a contracted condition;
• expanding the at least two balloons within the intrajoint space;
• and
• reducing the external force applied to the body part so that the hip joint is supported on the at least two balloons, with the two bones remaining separated from one another by a distance which is greater than the distance that they are normally separated from one another when the hip joint is in a healthy state, wherein the flexible shaft bends into a U-shaped configuration when the external force maintaining the distraction is released.

A joint-spacing balloon catheter comprising:

• a flexible shaft having a distal end and a proximal end;
• at least two balloons mounted to the distal end of the shaft;
• and
• a handle attached to the proximal end of the shaft;
• wherein the flexible shaft is configured to bend into a U-shaped configuration when an external force maintaining distraction is released.