Patent ID: 6852095

Claim:
An apparatus for repairing a collapsed space within vertebral bodies, which comprises: an introducer including an elongate member having proximal and distal ends and defining a longitudinal bore, the elongate member having a threaded portion adjacent the distal end and being configured for insertion into vertebral bodies to facilitate mounting of the elongate member to the vertebral bodies; and a catheter at least partially positionable within the longitudinal bore of the elongate member of the introducer, the catheter including a catheter body member having proximal and distal ends, an inflation lumen extending along at least a portion of the catheter body and an expandable membrane releasably attached to the distal end of the catheter body member in fluid communication with the inflation lumen, the expandable membrane extendible beyond the distal end of the introducer and positionable within the vertebral bodies and being expandable in response to inflation fluids conveyed by the inflation lumen to exert a force on the vertebral bodies to achieve a desired spacing therewithin.