Patent ID: 7967864

Claim:
An intravertebral implant system for treating a vertebral body having opposed endplates, the system comprising: an elongated cannula, an elongated guide member and an elongated implant; the cannula including a distal end portion for insertion into a vertebral body, an aperture in the distal end portion and a lumen extending proximally from the aperture; the elongated guide member including a distal end portion and being advanceable through the lumen of the cannula between a first position wherein the distal end portion of the guide member is disposed within the lumen and a second position wherein the distal end portion of the guide member extends through the aperture of the cannula into the vertebral body and a more proximal portion of the guide member resides within the cannula; the distal end portion of the guide member, when in the first position being constrained by the cannula to an insertion configuration allowing advancement through the lumen and the aperture of the cannula and, when in the second position, being unconstrained by the cannula and forming an inserted configuration that includes a plurality of generally horizontally-disposed windings within the vertebral body; and the elongated implant being independently movable longitudinally relative to the guide member for advancement along the guide member through the lumen of the cannula and the aperture when the guide member is in the second position, the implant also being advanceable along the inserted configuration of the distal end portion of the guide member to define an intravertebral structure including a plurality of generally horizontal-disposed windings within the vertebral body.