Cement preparation

The acrylic cement (Osteopal V ® Biomet Merck, Vertebroplastic ® Johnson&Johnson) is prepared by mixing the powder and the fluid monomer. During the first 30 to 50 seconds after mixing, the cement is very thin in consistency. It then becomes pasty and thick. The acrylic cement has to be injected during its pasty polymerization phase to prevent distal venous migration. Two to 7 ml of acrylic cement are injected using   2-ml Luer Lock syringes. Methyl methacrylate is too viscous to be handled without difficulty in this conventional way because injection time is short. The operator is left with little time and must fumble with multiple syringes. The injection sets on the market (Cemento® Optimed/Germany, & COOK) allow aspiration and direct injection of the cement from the same syringe in a continuous flow with minimum effort.

Fig. 1: Materials.

Fig. 2: PMMA powder + monomer.

Fig. 3:  Aspiration of cement in Cemento Set®.

Fig. 4:  10 ml of cement in the set.