DEVICE FOR PREPARING BONE CEMENT

• US 20090305430A1
• Filed: 06/03/2009
• Published: 12/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Depuy International Limited (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Depuy International Limited (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Chandler, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US12/477,315
• Publication Number:
  US 20090305430A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 436/164
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8802 Equipment for handling bone cement or other fluid fillers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/883 Means for indicating hardening of bone cement
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30617 Visible markings for adjusting, locating or measuring
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4631 the prosthesis being specially adapted for being cemented
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4672 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0097 Visible markings, e.g. indicia
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 11/12 using changes in colour, translucency or reflectance

Abstract

A method of monitoring the extent of cure of a mixed bone cement includes the steps of taking in hand a flexible polymeric film wherein loaded with a thermochromic material configured to change color at a predetermined temperature; wrapping a quantity of the mixed bone cement in the film such that the film is in contact with and tightly conforms to the mixed bone cement; and monitoring the film to identify a change in the color of the film, the change in the color of the film indicating that the mixed bone cement has reached the pre-determined temperature.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring the extent of cure of a mixed bone cement, comprising the steps of:

taking in hand a flexible polymeric film, the polymeric film loaded with a thermochromic material configured to change color at a predetermined temperature;

wrapping a quantity of the mixed bone cement in the film such that the film is in contact with and tightly conforms to the mixed bone cement; and

monitoring the film to identify a change in the color of the film, the change in the color of the film indicating that the mixed bone cement has reached the pre-determined temperature.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of measuring the quantity of the mixed bone cement to ensure that the quantity of the mixed bone cement is within a preset range.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymer of the film comprises a polyolefin.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the film has a first region and a second region, wherein the first region is loaded with a first thermochromic material and the second region is loaded with a second thermochromic material, and wherein the temperature indicated by the first thermochromic material is different from the temperature indicated by the second thermochromic material.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the film is not more than about 500 μ

m.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the film is at least about 2 μ

m.