1. A method comprising
selecting a vertebral body for treatment having a cortical wall enclosing a cancellous bone volume,
establishing a percutaneous access having a longitudinal axis leading to the cancellous bone volume,
introducing a device into the vertebral body through the percutaneous access path, the device defining a deflected path along a deflected axis angled with respect to the longitudinal axis,
manipulating the device to modify the cancellous bone volume for introduction of bone filling material, and
introducing bone filling material into the cancellous bone volume modified by the device including introducing bone filling material along the percutaneous path and along the deflected path, and directing discharge of the bone filling material into the cancellous bone volume through an opening that is oriented at an angle relative to the deflected axis.
2. A method according to claim 1
wherein the percutaneous path comprises a transpedicular path.
3. A method according to claim 1
wherein the percutaneous path comprises a postero-lateral path.
4. A method according to claim 1
wherein the percutaneous path is established, at least in part, by a cannula.
5. A method according to claim 4
wherein introducing bone filling material into the cancellous bone volume includes withdrawing the cannula along the longitudinal axis while directing discharge of the bone filling material through the discharge opening.
6. A method according to claim 1 wherein the discharge-opening is oriented at generally a right angle relative to the deflected axis.
7. A method according to claim 1
wherein the opening comprises a side discharge port.
8. A method according to claim 1
wherein directing discharge of the bone filling material into the cancellous bone volume includes altering the orientation of the opening.
9. A method according to claim 1
wherein modifying the cancellous bone volume includes contacting cancellous bone with the device.
10. A method according to claim 1
wherein modifying the cancellous bone volume includes expanding the device for contact with cancellous bone.
11. A method according to claim 1
wherein modifying the cancellous bone volume includes inflating the device for contact with cancellous bone.
12. A method according to claim 1
wherein modifying the cancellous bone volume includes manipulating the device to create a cavity in cancellous bone.
13. A method according to claim 1
wherein modifying the cancellous bone volume includes manipulating the device to move fractured cortical bone.
14. A method according to claim 1
wherein the bone filling material comprises bone cement.
15. A method according to claim 1
wherein introducing bone filling material into the cancellous bone volume includes coupling a delivery tube to an injector of bone filling material, advancing the delivery tube along the percutaneous path, and operating the injector to convey bone filling material along the percutaneous path through the delivery tube.
16. A method according to claim 15
wherein the delivery tube includes a threaded coupling for coupling the delivery tube to the injector.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An apparatus for polishing a wafer comprising:
a carrier;
at least one membrane dividing said carrier to form at least two chambers;
a retainer ring disposed on an edge of said polishing head; and
a chucking ring disposed on a lower portion of said polishing head.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein said polishing head further includes a center supporter disposed in said carrier to provide a first chamber, and a middle supporter disposed in said carrier on the same plane as that of the center supporter, to provide a second chamber;
wherein said membrane is composed of first and second membranes enclosing said center and middle supporters separable from surface portions of said supporters; and
wherein said chucking ring is disposed in said carrier to provide a third chamber.
3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of first holes are formed in said surface portion of said center supporter to communicate with said first chamber, a plurality of second holes are formed in said surface portion of said middle supporter to communicate with said second chamber, and a plurality of third holes are formed in said chucking ring to communicate with said third chamber.
4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said chucking ring is disposed between said center supporter and said middle supporter.
5. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said chucking ring is disposed between said middle supporter and an inner surface of said carrier.
6. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said first, second and third chambers have respective first, second and third fluid passages communicating externally to said polishing head.
7. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said middle supporter is composed of a ring shape.
8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said second membrane is composed of a ring shape corresponding to said middle supporter.
9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein films are adhered on said chucking ring around said third holes to operate as a medium in chucking and releasing of said wafer.
10. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein edges of said surface portions of said center and middle supporters are rounded or chamfered.
11. An apparatus for polishing a wafer comprising:
a supporting portion having an abrasive pad disposed thereon;
a polishing head disposed over said abrasive pad; and
said polishing head comprising:.
a carrier;
at least one membrane dividing said carrier to form at least two chambers;
a retainer ring disposed on an edge of said polishing head; and
a chucking ring disposed on a lower portion of said polishing head.
12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said chucking ring is located between a center supporter and a middle supporter disposed in the carrier.
13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said chucking ring is located between a center supporter and a middle supporter disposed in the carrier between a middle supporter and an inner surface of the carrier.
14. A method for polishing a wafer, comprising the steps of:
vacuum-absorbing a wafer through a vacuum hole of a membrane positioned under a polishing head;
locating the vacuum-absorbed wafer on a polishing pad; and
polishing the wafer.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein vacuum-absorbing comprises drawing a vacuum on a fluid path formed through a supporter of the polishing head on which the membrane is mounted.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein the vacuum hole of the membrane comprises multiple first vacuum holes and wherein the supporter includes multiple second vacuum holes in alignment with the multiple first vacuum holes, and wherein the fluid path is in communication with the multiple second vacuum holes.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein, during vacuum absorbing, each of the first vacuum holes forms a seal about the corresponding second vacuum hole.
18. The method of claim 16 wherein a plurality of film structures are disposed on an outer surface of the supporter about each of the multiple second holes, each of the films mating with the corresponding first vacuum hole formed in the membrane.