Patent ID: 7682378

Claim:
A method of treating bone, comprising: introducing a rotatable elastomeric abrading structure into an interior of a bone, wherein the elastomeric abrading structure is rotatable within a selected speed range that cuts bone and does not cut soft tissue, is a generally solid cylindrical structure and has a channel therethrough for aspirating debris from or delivering a fluid to the bone; rotating the elastomeric abrading structure to cut at least one of cancellous bone and cortical bone; increasing an outer diameter of the generally solid cylindrical structure from a first generally cylindrical shape to a second generally cylindrical shape; rotating the elastomeric abrading structure to cut through a plurality of locations in a cortical wall of the bone to create a weakened region, wherein the elastomeric abrading structure does not cut soft tissue adjacent the cortical wall and wherein cutting through the cortical wall is performed from the interior of the bone to the exterior of the bone; and introducing a bone fill material into the bone and thereby elevating a vertebral endplate.