Patent ID: 7220282

Claim:
A method for stabilizing a spinal segment comprising: (a) providing a generally flexible mesh member sized to fit and expand transversely into a hollowed region of an intervertebral space or intravertebral space, the mesh member defining an interior space, the mesh member constructed and arranged to expand from a reduced state to an expanded state by the introduction of fill material into the interior space, the mesh member including a plurality of pores, the plurality of pores being sized to allow ingress and egress of liquids, solutions or small particle suspensions and ingrowth of bony trabeculae or fibrous elements into and through the device when the device is positioned in the hollowed region of a intervertebral space or intravertebral space, the plurality of pores being sized to retain the fill material within the interior space of the mesh member, the mesh member including at least one fill opening through which the fill material may be introduced into the interior space, the at least one fill opening comprising at least one of the plurality of pores; (b) inserting the mesh member into the intervertebral space or intravertebral space; (c) inserting the fill material into the interior space of the mesh member through the at least one fill opening using a fill tube having a means for deflecting the fill material at an angle from a longitudinal axis of the fill tube such that a force tending to eject the fill tube from the member in response to inserting the fill material is reduced; and (d) allowing the at least one fill opening to self-seal to prevent egress of the fill material.