cement preparation

The acrylic glue (Simplex ® Howmedica, Osteopal V ® Biomet Merck, Palacos ® Biomet) is prepared by mixing 40 g of powder and 20 ml of fluid monomer. As the acrylic cement alone is not radio-opaque enough, 3 g of tantalum (depending on patient morphology) is added to the 20 ml mixture. Barium or tungsten can be used too. During the first 30 to 50 seconds after mixing, the glue 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 glue 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 set on the market (Cemento® Optimed/Germany) allows aspiration and direct injection of the glue from the same syringe in a continuous flow with minimum effort. Illustration is provided in the cement preparation movie cases.

Figure 7i. PMM powder + monomer

Figure 7j.   PMM + tantalum powder .

EnFigure 7k.   End product after mixing .

Figure 7l.   Syringe filling .