RF enabled inflatable bone tamp

A surgical system configured for performing a surgical procedure to ablate pathological tissue at a surgical site in a patient comprising:

• at least one cannula;
• at least one inflatable bone tamp comprising at least one electrode disposed with the inflatable bone tamp, said at least one electrode adapted to emit RF energy having a frequency sufficient for ablating the pathological tissue at the surgical site, the inflatable bone tamp including an expandable cage, the expandable cage including at least a first elongated member, a second elongated member, and a third elongated member, the first and second elongated members being spaced entirely apart from one another by a first gap in the expandable cage, the second and third elongated members being spaced entirely apart from one another by a second gap in the expandable cage, the first, second, and third elongated members each including an outer surface, an inner surface, and two side surfaces between the outer and inner surfaces, each of the outer surfaces, the inner surfaces, and the side surfaces having widths at least substantially perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis of the cannula, the widths of the outer surfaces and inner surfaces being substantially greater than the widths of the side surfaces;
• at least one sensor to monitor the temperature of the pathological tissue effected by the RF energy;
• at least one cutting instrument to create a surgical pathway for implantation of the inflatable bone tamp;
• and
• a liquid pumping system configured to be connected to the inflatable bone tamp.