Abstract: A cement restrictor for use in surgical procedures such as total hip replacement, for example, includes a pressure transducer and a transmitter electrically coupled to the pressure transducer. The cement restrictor is configured to be placed at a distal end of a pre-drilled bone canal in a patient's femur, for example, such that the pressure transducer may generate an output signal in response to the presence of bone cement injected into the bone canal and around the cement restrictor. The transmitter is configured to transmit this output pressure signal to an external receiver outside the patient's body.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing bone cement includes a cartridge for containing the bone cement. The apparatus also includes a plunger insertable into the cartridge. An impedance sensor is coupled to the plunger and configured to produce an output signal indicative of an impedance of bone cement contained in the cartridge. The apparatus may also include a processing circuit configured to determine an impedance value of bone cement contained within the cartridge based on the sensor signal. The processing circuit may activate a visual indicator based on the impedance value to indicate that the dough time, the end-of-work time, and/or setting-time of bone cement contained in the cartridge has been reached.

Abstract: A cement restrictor for use in surgical procedures such as total hip replacement, for example, includes a pressure transducer and a transmitter electrically coupled to the pressure transducer. The cement restrictor is configured to be placed at a distal end of a pre-drilled bone canal in a patient's femur, for example, such that the pressure transducer may generate an output signal in response to the presence of bone cement injected into the bone canal and around the cement restrictor. The transmitter is configured to transmit this output pressure signal to an external receiver outside the patient's body.

Abstract: A surgical head gear apparatus or helmet includes a lighting system that utilizes circuit board mounted LED clusters supported on the surgical helmet. The LED clusters are part of a light array mounted to the forward portion of the helmet. In one embodiment, the light array is self-contained with its own power supply. In another embodiment, the light array is electrically connected to an external power supply and controller, such as en existing controller associated with the ventilation system of the helmet. In accordance with the invention, the only remote link for the LED clusters and circuit boards is to a control switch and/or power supply.