Patent ID: 8394105

Claim:
An apparatus for dispensing bone cement, the apparatus comprising: a housing; a cartridge having a first end positioned in the housing, a second end extending outwardly therefrom, and a nozzle formed at the second end; a plunger positioned in the cartridge and movable to eject bone cement from the cartridge through the nozzle, the plunger having a first side facing the nozzle; an impedance sensor mounted to the first side of the plunger and configured to produce an output signal indicative of an impedance value of bone cement within the cartridge; a rod operable to move the plunger relative to the housing, the rod having an internal passageway defined therein; and a processing circuit secured to the housing, the processing circuit being electrically coupled to the impedance sensor by a wire positioned in the internal passageway of the rod and configured to receive the output signal from the impedance sensor.