Patent ID: 8613744

Claim:
A method of therapeutically treating a vertebral body, comprising: inserting a probe within an inner cancellous bone region of a vertebral body; wherein the probe is configured to deploy an energy delivery device; wherein the probe comprises a longitudinal bore extending from a proximal end of the probe toward a distal end of the probe; wherein the probe comprises a recess in communication with said longitudinal bore, said recess forming a lateral opening at or near the distal end of the probe; wherein the probe further comprises a pivotable member, the pivotable member having a fixed end pivotably secured to the probe at a distal location within the recess of the probe, and a free end configured to be seated in said recess; wherein the pivotable member comprises an undeployed mode in which the free end extends proximally from the fixed end within said recess, and a deployed mode in which the free end is configured to pivot about said fixed end and extend outward from said probe; wherein the free end of the pivotable member is coupled to a distal end of a curveable cannula; advancing the curveable cannula within the longitudinal bore of the probe, thereby articulating the pivotable member from the undeployed mode to the deployed mode to guide the distal end of the curveable cannula outward from the recess into the cancellous bone region of the vertebral body; advancing the energy delivery device through the curveable cannula and along a path associated with the free end of the pivotable member into the cancellous bone region of the vertebral body; and causing the energy delivery device to deliver thermal energy sufficient to heat a basivertebral nerve.