Methods of navigation and treatment within a vertebral body

A method of ablating a basivertebral nerve within a vertebral body, the method comprising:

• inserting a straight stylet within a channel of an introducer, the introducer comprising a proximal handle and an elongate tube comprising the channel, the channel extending from the proximal handle to a distal end of the introducer,
• advancing the introducer and straight stylet through cortical bone and into cancellous bone of the vertebral body;
• removing the straight stylet from the introducer;
• inserting a radiofrequency energy delivery probe through the channel of the introducer and into the cancellous bone of the vertebral body after removal of the straight stylet,
• wherein the radiofrequency energy delivery probe comprises:
• a proximal handle;
• an elongate member, the elongate member comprising a distal end portion that is configured to bend toward a target treatment location within the cancellous bone upon actuation by an operator;
• one or more electrodes;
• and
• a temperature sensor;
• and
• applying radiofrequency energy to the target treatment location via the one or more electrodes sufficient to ablate the basivertebral nerve within the vertebral body.

A method of ablating a nerve within a vertebral body, the method comprising:

• inserting a straight stylet within a channel of an introducer, the introducer comprising a proximal handle and an elongate tube comprising the channel, the channel extending from the proximal handle to a distal end of the introducer,
• advancing the introducer and straight stylet through cortical bone and into cancellous bone of the vertebral body;
• removing the straight stylet from the introducer;
• inserting a radiofrequency energy delivery probe through the channel of the introducer and into the cancellous bone of the vertebral body after removal of the straight stylet,
• wherein the radiofrequency energy delivery probe comprises:
• a proximal handle;
• an elongate member, the elongate member comprising a steerable distal end portion that is configured to bend upon actuation by an operator;
• one or more electrodes;
• and
• a sensor;
• positioning the steerable distal end portion at a target treatment location within the cancellous bone of the vertebral body corresponding to a portion of the vertebral body that includes at least a portion of the nerve;
• and
• applying radiofrequency energy to the target treatment location via the one or more electrodes sufficient to ablate the nerve within the vertebral body.

A method of treating a nerve within a vertebral body, the method comprising:

• inserting a straight stylet within a channel of an introducer, the introducer comprising a proximal handle and an elongate tube comprising the channel, the channel extending from the proximal handle to a distal end of the introducer,
• advancing the introducer and straight stylet through a pedicle and into cancellous bone of the vertebral body;
• removing the straight stylet from the introducer;
• inserting a radiofrequency energy delivery probe through the channel of the introducer and into the cancellous bone of the vertebral body after removal of the straight stylet,
• wherein the radiofrequency energy delivery probe comprises:
• an elongate member, the elongate member comprising a steerable distal end portion that is configured to bend upon actuation by an operator;
• one or more electrodes;
• and
• a temperature sensor;
• positioning the steerable distal end portion of the elongate member of the radiofrequency energy delivery probe at a target treatment location within a posterior section of the vertebral body;
• and
• applying radiofrequency energy to the target treatment location via the one or more electrodes sufficient to modulate the nerve within the vertebral body.