Patent ID: 8777479

Claim:
A method of bone cement preparation from bone cement precursors comprising a liquid monomer component and at least one non-liquid polymer component, the method comprising: disposing a non-liquid polymer powder component in a chamber defined by a body; pouring a liquid monomer into a container through a proximal opening of the container, a distal end of the container coupled to a first end of the body containing the non-liquid polymer; drawing the liquid monomer from the container into contact with the non-liquid polymer in the chamber to mix the liquid monomer with the non-liquid polymer to form a bone cement mixture thereby providing a settable bone cement, comprising: applying negative pressure to the chamber via a pressure source coupled to a second end of the body opposite the first end, the pressure source configured to apply a negative pressure of about −250 mmHg or greater, a filter separating the pressure source and the chamber, the filter having a pore size between about 0.05 microns and 10 microns, and allowing air flow therethrough but preventing flow of the liquid monomer or bone cement mixture therethrough; saturating the non-liquid polymer with the liquid monomer drawn into the chamber via said negative pressure to thereby thoroughly expose and mix the non-liquid polymer powder with the liquid monomer to cause a polymerization reaction between the polymer and monomer and form the bone cement mixture; and continuing to draw liquid monomer through the non-liquid polymer until the filter is clogged so as to prevent flow of the liquid monomer or bone cement mixture through the filter, said filter configured to clog when substantially all of the non-liquid polymer in the chamber has mixed with the liquid monomer.