Methods of navigation and treatment within a vertebral body
AssigneeRelievant Medsystems, Inc.
InventorsSamit PATEL, Richard C. PELLEGRINO, Robert FLAGLER
Life of this patent
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Abstract
System and methods for channeling a path into bone include a trocar having a proximal end, distal end and a central channel disposed along a central axis of the trocar. The trocar includes a distal opening at or near the distal end of the trocar. The system includes a curved cannula sized to be received in the central channel, and having a curved distal end configured to be extended laterally outward from the distal opening in a curved path extending away from the trocar. The curved cannula has a central passageway having a diameter configured to allow a probe to be delivered through the central passageway to a location beyond the curved path.
Claims20
A system for channeling a curved path into a vertebral body comprising:
- an introducer cannula having a proximal handle, a distal end, and a central channel extending therebetween, the introducer cannula configured to penetrate cortical bone and access cancellous bone of the vertebral body;
- and
- a curved cannula assembly comprising:
- a curved cannula having a proximal portion, a distal curved portion with a preformed curve, and a cannula lumen extending therebetween, wherein the preformed curve straightens during insertion through the introducer cannula and re-curves upon deployment;
- and
- a curved stylet comprised of nitinol, the curved stylet having a curved distal end matching the preformed curve of the curved cannula and configured to be temporarily positioned within the cannula lumen to reinforce the preformed curve during deployment, wherein the curved stylet is removable from the cannula lumen after the curved path is established to allow insertion of treatment instruments through the curved cannula.
A method of channeling a curved path into a vertebral body comprising:
- identifying a target treatment location within the vertebral body using pre-operative imaging,
- inserting an introducer cannula through cortical bone and into cancellous bone of the vertebral body under fluoroscopic visualization;
- advancing a curved cannula assembly through a central channel of the introducer cannula under fluoroscopic visualization, the curved cannula assembly comprising:
- a curved cannula having a distal curved portion with a preformed curve, wherein the preformed curve straightens during insertion through the introducer cannula;
- and
- a curved stylet comprised of nitinol positioned within a cannula lumen of the curved cannula, the curved stylet having a curved distal end matching the preformed curve of the curved cannula;
- deploying the curved cannula assembly from a distal end of the introducer cannula such that the preformed curve of the curved cannula re-curves and the curved stylet reinforces the preformed curve to create a curved path through the cancellous bone toward a posterior section of the vertebral body;
- removing the curved stylet from the cannula lumen after the curved path is established;
- and
- inserting a treatment instrument through the cannula lumen of the curved cannula to the target treatment location within the vertebral body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.