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Abstract

Systems and methods for treating bone employ an expandable body sized to be inserted into bone over a guide wire, without need of an access cannula, and undergo expansion in cancellous bone to compact cancellous bone. The systems and methods further include one or more other instruments sized to pass over the guide wire. The other instruments can comprise, e.g., a cannula, or a device for injecting material into bone. The systems and methods can make use of a special guide wire assembly that includes a guide wire having an enlarged component or tip element on its distal end that can be used to engage the distal end of a bone treatment tool in response to a pulling motion on the guide wire. The pulling motion on the guide wire serves to withdraw the bone treatment tool. The enlarged component or tip element on the distal end of the guide wire can enable the withdrawal of an inner centering body from an outer cannula body after deployment. After withdrawal of the inner body, the outer body can be used, e.g., to guide a bone treatment tool into a bone, or to convey material into bone

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First Claim