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. An exemplary system utilizes Rf energy in combination a conductive
bone fill material for polymerizing the surface of the inflow plume to
control the geometry of the fill material and the application of force
caused by inflows of fill material. In another embodiment, method of
treating bone includes injecting a volume of fill material into a bone
and selectively modifying a viscosity of a selected portion 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 as it flows out of the introducer.