Patent ID: 9604184
Date: 2017-03-28
CPC Classifications: A61L,B01F,Y10T

Claim:
1. A method of mixing bone-graft or bone-graft-substitute material with one or more other components, the method comprising: providing a source of bone-graft or bone-graft-substitute material, and a source of liquid, at least one of the source of bone-graft or bone-graft-substitute material and the liquid source being in communication with a vacuum source; engaging a syringe with a valve assembly containing a valve to automatically move the valve to a position in which a first fluid passageway between the vacuum source and the source of bone-graft or bone-graft-substitute material is open, wherein the valve automatically moves to a position in which the first fluid passageway is closed once the syringe is retracted proximally along the valve assembly; using the vacuum source to create a vacuum between the source of bone-graft or bone-graft-substitute material and the vacuum source, the vacuum generating negative pressure, relative to atmospheric pressure, within the first fluid passageway; sealing the first fluid passageway to maintain the vacuum within the source of bone-graft or bone-graft-substitute material; and moving the valve so that a second fluid passageway between the source of bone-graft or bone-graft-substitute material and the liquid source is opened, wherein liquid from the liquid source is drawn into the second fluid passageway and to the source of bone-graft or bone-graft-substitute material via the negative pressure generated during the using step.