Patent ID: 7670374

Claim:
A method of treating a human vertebral body having an interior region defined by a superior endplate, an inferior endplate and a cortical rim, and containing cancellous bone therewithin, the method comprising: inserting at least a distal end portion of an elongated guide member in a pre-deployed configuration into the vertebral body; changing the configuration of the distal end portion of the guide member into a deployed configuration to define a pre-determined shape within the interior region of the vertebral body while leaving substantially undisturbed a portion of cancellous bone; and slidably advancing an elongated intravertebral implant distally along the distal end portion of the guide member, the intravertebral implant having a guide lumen extending therethrough for slidably receiving the guide member so that the intravertebral implant may be longitudinally slidable on the guide member, the intravertebral implant being sufficiently flexible to substantially assume the pre-determined shape of the distal end portion of the guide member to form a support structure within the interior region of the vertebral body, which support structure includes a resident volume containing substantially undisturbed cancellous bone, and has a vertical extent sufficient to separate, support or both separate and support the superior and inferior endplates.