Steerable curvable vertebroplasty drill

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a steerable, curvable drill that can be used for various applications including vertebroplasty. The drill can include an elongate, tubular body, having a proximal end, a distal end, and a central lumen extending therethrough; a deflectable zone on the distal end of the tubular body, deflectable through an angular range; a handle on the proximal end of the tubular body; and a deflection control on the handle; a drill control on the handle; a drive shaft within the elongate tubular body having a proximal end and a distal end; and a boring element on the distal end of the device for creating a cavity within bone. The boring element can be operably connected to the distal end of the drive shaft, The drive shaft can be configured to move axially within the tubular body when the deflectable zone deflects through an angular range. Systems and methods involving the drill are also disclosed.

1 . A steerable vertebroplasty drill, comprising:
 an elongate, tubular body, having a proximal end, a distal end, and a central lumen extending therethrough;   a deflectable zone on the distal end of the tubular body, deflectable through an angular range;   a handle on the proximal end of the tubular body; and   a deflection control on the handle;   a drill control on the handle;   a drive shaft within the elongate tubular body having a proximal end and a distal end;   a drive bushing configured to rotate the drive shaft upon rotation of the drive bushing;   a boring element on the distal end of the device for creating a cavity within bone,   wherein the boring element is operably connected to the distal end of the drive shaft,   wherein the drive shaft is configured to move axially within the tubular body with respect to the drive bushing when the deflectable zone deflects through an angular range.   
     
     
         2 . A steerable vertebroplasty drill as in  claim 1 , wherein the deflection control comprises a rotatable element. 
     
     
         3 . A steerable vertebroplasty drill as in  claim 1 , wherein the rotating member on the distal end of the device is capable of penetrating bone and other tissue. 
     
     
         4 . A steerable vertebroplasty drill as in  claim 1 , wherein the boring element comprises a drill bit. 
     
     
         5 . A steerable vertebroplasty drill as in  claim 1 , wherein the tubular body comprises a proximal zone and a distal, deflectable zone separated by a transition point, and the transition point is at least about 15% of the length of the tubular body from the distal end. 
     
     
         6 . A steerable veterbroplasty drill as in  claim 1 , wherein the handle comprises a proximal handle portion and a distal handle portion, wherein the distal handle portion is configured to be axially movable with respect to the proximal handle portion. 
     
     
         7 . A steerable vertebroplasty drill as in  claim 1 , wherein the drive shaft has a substantially non-circular cross-sectional shape. 
     
     
         8 . A steerable vertebroplasty drill as in  claim 7 , wherein the drive shaft has a cross-sectional shape selected from the group consisting of: C shaped, D shaped, semicircular shaped, square shaped, rectangular shaped, triangular shaped, hexagonal shaped, star shaped, or octagonal shaped. 
     
     
         9 . A method of treating a bone, comprising:
 creating a pedicular access channel in a pedicle to access the interior of a vertebral body;   inserting an introducer cannula into the pedicle;   inserting a steerable drill through the introducer cannula into the interior of a vertebral body;   drilling through cancellous bone in the interior of a vertebral body to create or enlarge a cavity within the interior of the vertebral body;   inserting a steerable injection needle through the introducer cannula into the interior of the vertebral body, the steerable injection needle having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end having a first configuration substantially coaxial with a long axis of the proximal end;   rotating a control to deflect the distal end of the steerable injection needle to a second configuration that is not substantially coaxial with the long axis of the proximal end; and   flowing bone cement through the steerable injection needle into the interior of the vertebral body.   
     
     
         10 . A kit for performing vertebroplasty, comprising:
 a steerable injection needle with a proximal portion, elongate shaft, and a distal portion, the distal portion movable from a first substantially straight configuration to a second configuration not substantially coaxial with the proximal portion;   a cement dispensing pump comprising a first cartridge housing configured to house a cartridge containing two separate bone cement components; and   a mixing nozzle for mixing the first bone cement component and second bone cement component material into a bone cement composite; and   a steerable bone drill for creating or enlarging a cavity within the interior of the vertebral body.   
     
     
         11 . The kit of  claim 8 , wherein the steerable bone drill comprises:
 an elongate, tubular body, having a proximal end, a distal end, and a central lumen extending therethrough;   a deflectable zone on the distal end of the tubular body, deflectable through an angular range;   a handle on the proximal end of the tubular body; and   a deflection control on the handle;   a drill control on the handle;   a drive shaft within the elongate tubular body having a proximal end and a distal end;   a boring element on the distal end of the device for creating a cavity within bone,   wherein the boring element is operably connected to the distal end of the drive shaft,   wherein the drive shaft is configured to move axially within the tubular body when the deflectable zone deflects through an angular range.