Patent ID: 8992523
Filing Date: 2015-03-31
Classification: A61B,A61N

Abstract:
1. A method of heating a vertebral body, comprising: identifying a vertebral body for treatment, said vertebral body comprising an outer cortical bone region and an inner cancellous bone region, and at least a portion of a basivertebral nerve within the inner cancellous bone region; identifying a treatment zone within the inner cancellous bone region of said vertebral body corresponding to a likely location of the portion of the basivertebral nerve; inserting a cannula through the outer cortical bone region of the vertebral body and into the inner cancellous bone region of the vertebral body; inserting a flexible radiofrequency energy delivery device having two electrodes within the cannula, advancing a distal end of said energy delivery device out of a distal opening of said cannula and into the inner cancellous bone region of the vertebral body; positioning the two electrodes of said energy delivery device within or proximate the treatment zone, wherein the step of positioning the two electrodes of said energy delivery device within or proximate the treatment zone comprises positioning a first electrode of the two electrodes on a first side of the vertebral body and positioning a second electrode of the two electrodes on a second side of the vertebral body; and activating the two electrodes to deliver radiofrequency energy to the treatment zone within the inner cancellous bone region of the vertebral body sufficient to modulate the basivertebral nerve.