Methods and apparatus for mixing bone cement components using an evacuated mixing chamber

A method for saturating a predetermined mass of a powdered component with a predetermined volume of a liquid component as part of a component mixing process, comprising the steps of:

• (a) storing said powdered component mass in an evacuated mixing chamber;
• (b) storing said liquid component in a separate pressurized component chamber;
• and
• (c) controlling the introduction of said liquid component into said mixing chamber, including the step of wetting said powdered component mass from outside and from within the stored powdered component mass to thereby substantially wet the powdered component mass stored in said mixing chamber.

A method for mixing a powdered component mass with a liquid component comprising the steps of:

• (a) evacuating a first container containing a powdered component mass;
• (b) providing a second container containing a liquid component;
• (c) connecting said first and second containers, after the evacuation of said first container, allowing liquid component to be drawn into said first container;
• and
• (d) introducing said liquid component into said first container in a manner which substantially wets the powdered component mass stored therein by wetting said powdered component mass from outside and from within the stored powdered component mass.

A mixing device for mixing a powdered and a liquid component comprising:

• (a) a first evacuated container containing a powdered component mass;
• (b) a second container containing a liquid component;
• (c) means for connecting said first and second containers, after the evacuation of said first container, allowing said liquid component to be drawn into said first container, and
• (d) means for introducing said liquid component into said first container in a manner which substantially wets the powdered component mass stored therein by wetting said powdered component mass from outside and from within the stored powdered component mass.

Apparatus for preparing and delivering a self curing bone cement mixture formed as a polymeric reaction product when a powdered polymer component is mixed with a liquid monomer component, comprising:

• (a) an evacuated first component chamber for storing said powdered polymer component mass;
• (b) a second component chamber for storing said liquid monomer component;
• (c) means for controlling the introduction of said liquid monomer component, stored in said second component chamber, to a multiplicity of different locations within said first component chamber, including locations outside and within the stored powdered polymer component mass, to thereby substantially wet the powdered polymer component mass stored in said mixing chamber;
• (d) means for uniformly mixing said powdered polymer component mass and said liquid monomer component within said first component chamber thereby saturating said powdered polymer component mass with said liquid monomer component.

Apparatus for preparing a homogeneous self-curing two component powder/liquid bone cement mixture using a vacuum packed powdered polymer chamber containing a powder polymer mass into which liquid monomer is introduced, comprising:

• (a) a pressurized chamber for storing said liquid monomer;
• (b) a vacuum packed powder chamber for storing said powdered polymer mass;
• and
• (c) means for controlling the introduction of said liquid monomer into said vacuum packed powder chamber to locations outside and within the stored powdered polymer mass, to thereby substantially wet the powdered polymer mass stored therein.