Motorized bone cement mixing and delivery system with a flexible delivery extension tube and enlarged connector for delivering cement into living tissue

Abstract

A bone cement mixing and delivery system including a mixer, a delivery device, and a flexible extension tube. A connector is attached to a distal end of the flexible tube. The connector includes a housing, a spindle configured with a fitting, and an enlarged knob. The spindle is seated within the housing and is configured to rotate between a closed and open position. In the open position, the spindle allows flow from the delivery device flexible extension tube into a bore of the spindle and into the spindle fitting. A delivery cement cannula is attached to the spindle fitting for allowing cement to travel from the delivery tube into living tissue. The enlarged knob is used to rotate the spindle from an open to a closed state and vice versa.

1 . A bone cement mixing and delivery system, said system comprising:
 a mixer including:
 a shell, said shell defining a mixing chamber for receiving bone cement-forming components, the shell having a discharge port that opens out of the mixing chamber; and 
 a piston disposed in said shell and having a face directed towards the shell mixing chamber, said piston being moveable mounted to said shell to move through the mixing chamber so as to push the cement out through the shell discharge port; 
   a delivery device, said delivery device having:
 a tube that defines a reservoir, said tube having a distal end opening, a proximal end opening and an entry port into the reservoir, the entry port being separate from the distal and proximal end openings, said entry port being in fluid communication with said mixer shell discharge port; and 
 a plunger mounted to tube that extends from the proximal opening of said tube, said plunger configured to slide toward the distal opening to push cement out of the distal opening; 
   a flexible extension tube that extends forward from the delivery tube distal opening, said extension tube having a longitudinal axis and a lumen that extends along the longitudinal axis, the lumen opening at the distal end of said tube; and   a connector, said connector mounted to the distal end of said extension tube, said connector including:
 a housing, said housing being attached to the distal end of said extension tube and having a main bore into which the extension tube distal end lumen opens, the main bore being angularly offset from the longitudinal axis of said extension tube; 
 a spindle rotatably seated within the main bore of said housing, said spindle having a fitting configured for removably receiving a delivery cannula that is configured for insertion into living tissue, a bore in selective fluid communication with the lumen of said extension tube wherein the spindle bore extends to the cannula, said spindle further being shaped to rotate between a closed position in which said spindle blocks flow from the extension tube into the spindle bore, and an open position in which spindle allows flow from the extension tube into the spindle bore so that the cement can flow into the cannula; and 
 a knob attached to said spindle for rotating said spindle between the closed and open positions, said knob having a grasping portion, wherein said knob grasping portion extends radially outwardly beyond said housing. 
   
     
     
         2 . The bone cement mixing and delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein said spindle includes opposed first and second ends where said knob is located at the first end, and said fitting located at the second end. 
     
     
         3 . The bone cement mixing and delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein said delivery system further includes a tube fitting, said tube fitting connecting a proximal end of said extension tube with the distal end opening of said delivery device tube so that extension tube is in fluid communication with said delivery tube. 
     
     
         4 . The bone cement mixing and delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein said spindle is sealed within the main bore of said housing a pair of O-rings. 
     
     
         5 . The bone cement mixing and delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein said housing is further formed to include a side port that extends outwardly from said housing, said side port having a side bore wherein said side bore is in registration with the lumen opening at the distal end of said extension tube. 
     
     
         6 . The bone cement mixing and delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein said spindle fitting is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of said extension tube. 
     
     
         7 . The bone cement mixing and delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein said mixer includes an electrically actuated drive assembly disposed in a base that is connected to: a paddle to move said paddle in the mixing chamber, and said piston to move said piston through the mixing chamber.