Patent ID: 7896879

Claim:
A method for treating stenosis in a spine, the spine including a thecal sac, a canal, an epidural space between the thecal sac and the canal, and a ligamentum flavum, the stenosis determining a region of interest in the spine, comprising the steps of: a) compressing the thecal sac in the region of interest by injecting a fluid into the epidural space to form a modified epidural space and a safety zone and establish a working zone, the safety zone lying generally within the modified epidural space, and the working zone lying generally outside the modified epidural space and generally posterior to the thecal sac, wherein the working zone is outside the safety zone; b) inserting a tool into tissue in the working zone without breaching an anterior surface of the ligamentum flavum; c) using the tool to percutaneously reduce the stenosis by excising a portion of tissue in the working zone; and d) utilizing imaging to visualize the position of the tool during at least a part of step c).