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 bone cement introduced into the interior
of a vertebra. An exemplary system utilizes Rf energy in combination a
conductive bone cement for polymerizing the inflow plume to control the
geometry of the fill material and the application of force caused by
inflows of cement. In another embodiment, a method of treating bone
includes utilizing a controller to control (i) bone cement inflow
parameters and (ii) energy delivery parameters selectively modify the
viscosity of a selected portion of bone cement as it is introduced. A
system for treating bone includes an introducer for delivering bone and
an energy source selectively coupleable to the bone cement to alter the
viscosity of the fill material as it flows out of the introducer. One
method includes pulsing the inflows of bone cement and further applying
pulsed aspiration forces to the interior of the vertebra to relieve
interior pressures to prevent emboli from migrating into the venous
system.