Abstract: Systems and methods for treating bone, such as vertebral compression fractures are disclosed. A method includes controllably applying energy to a bone cement volume outside of a patient's body to selectively accelerate the polymerization rate of the bone fill material volume prior to introduction into a bone. The method further includes sequentially introducing a plurality of cement carrying structures with the accelerated polymerization rate bone cement volume into the bone. A system for use in the method includes at least one elongated cement-carrying structure sized to carry a bone cement volume therein and an energy source operatively coupleable to the cement-carrying structure. The energy source applies energy to the bone cement volume to selectively accelerate a polymerization rate thereof. An elongated injector insertable into the bone has a passageway that removably receives the elongated cement-carrying structure to allow delivery of the accelerated polymerization rate bone cement into the bone.

Abstract: The present invention relates in certain embodiments to medical devices for treating vertebral compression fractures. More particularly, embodiments of the invention relate to instruments and methods for controllably restoring vertebral body height by controlling the flow of bone cement into the interior of a vertebra and the application of forces causes by the cement flow. An exemplary system utilizes Rf energy in combination a conductive bone cement for selectively polymerizing the inflow plume to increase the viscosity of the cement. In one aspect of the invention, the system utilizes a controller to control bone cement flow parameters to either allow or disallow cement interdigitation into cancellous bone. A method of the invention includes pulsing the flows of bone cement wherein high acceleration of the flow pulses can apply expansion forces across the surface of the cement plume to reduce a vertebral fracture.