Patent ID: 7708733

Claim:
A method for removing a volume of tissue within a bone body comprising: a) inserting a distal tip of an apparatus through an introducer needle and into the bone body, the introducer needle having a lumen and a longitudinal axis, wherein the introducer needle is positioned such that said introducer needle extends through at least a hard cortical bone tissue, said apparatus comprising an elongate shaft having at least two bends in proximity to an elongate shaft distal end, and at least two active electrodes at or near said distal end, said at least two active electrodes being in electrical communication with a radio frequency voltage controller; b) compressing the elongate shaft distal end between the at least two bends within the needle lumen and preventing the at least two active electrodes from spreading apart from one another, whereby the at least two active electrodes are disposed substantially in the center of the needle lumen and are not confined by the introducer needle; c) advancing the distal tip through a distal opening of the needle lumen while avoiding contact between the at least two active electrodes and the introducer needle, whereby the distal tip is positioned within or near the volume of tissue; and d) delivering an electrically conductive fluid to the at least two active electrodes and applying a voltage to said at least two active electrodes sufficient to form a plasma around said at least two active electrodes, said plasma having sufficient energy to molecularly disassociate said tissue to cause said volume to be immediately removed whereby a cavity is formed within said bone body.