System for use in bone cement preparation and delivery
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of preparing a bone cement, comprising:
- forming a mixture of a monomer liquid and polymer beads in a chamber having an opening at one end and a porous member at another end;
applying a pressure to the mixture to mix the monomer liquid and the polymer beads, wherein applying the pressure comprises using a pressure applicator to remove air from the mixture through the porous member, wherein the pressure applicator comprises a syringe comprising a plunger configured to apply the pressure upon being displaced, the syringe further comprising a spring configured to resist being displaced; and
determining a level of mixing between the monomer liquid and the polymer beads by detecting a level of saturation of the porous member by the monomer liquid.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for use in combining two part preparations, such as bone cement, can include a chamber for intermixing liquid and powder components, a container, a vacuum channel, and a filter. The mixing chamber can be configured to hold a non-liquid, polymer powder component of a bone cement. The container can be configured to hold a liquid component of the bone cement. The vacuum channel can direct a partial vacuum to draw the liquid component from the container into the non-liquid component in the mixing chamber to intermix the components and to thereby provide a settable bone cement.
220 Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A method of preparing a bone cement, comprising:
-
forming a mixture of a monomer liquid and polymer beads in a chamber having an opening at one end and a porous member at another end; applying a pressure to the mixture to mix the monomer liquid and the polymer beads, wherein applying the pressure comprises using a pressure applicator to remove air from the mixture through the porous member, wherein the pressure applicator comprises a syringe comprising a plunger configured to apply the pressure upon being displaced, the syringe further comprising a spring configured to resist being displaced; and determining a level of mixing between the monomer liquid and the polymer beads by detecting a level of saturation of the porous member by the monomer liquid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A method of preparing a bone cement, comprising:
-
providing a bone cement preparation system comprising a chamber configured to pass air therethrough and to selectively prevent a monomer liquid that has been in contact with polymer beads from passing therethrough; applying a pressure to remove air from the chamber and into a flow channel; expelling the air from the flow channel through a one-way valve; mixing polymer beads and a monomer liquid in the chamber; and determining that the polymer bead surfaces are substantially saturated with the monomer liquid based on air being removed from the mixture while the monomer liquid that has been in contact with the polymer beads is prevented from passing through the chamber. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A method of preparing a bone cement, comprising:
-
forming a mixture of a monomer liquid and polymer beads in a chamber having an opening at one end and a porous member at another end; applying a pressure to the mixture to mix the monomer liquid and the polymer beads, wherein applying the pressure comprises using a pressure applicator to remove air from the mixture through the porous member, wherein the chamber and the pressure applicator are fixed in an upright position and extend in a vertical direction wherein the pressure applicator comprises a syringe comprising a plunger configured to apply the pressure upon being displaced, the syringe further comprising a spring configured to resist being displaced.
-
Specification