Abstract: By providing a fluid transfer assembly, two components forming bone cement are maintained separately from each other until actual intermixing thereof for use is desired, with the liquid monomer component being completely dispensed from a sealed unit directly into the mixing vessel in a closed loop manner, without exposure thereof to the user and without breakage of the container holding the liquid monomer, and a unique, multi-component, product handling and delivering system is achieved. In accordance with the present invention, the fluid transfer assembly is constructed for cooperating with the sealed vial or tube containing the liquid monomer and the mixing vessel for completely extracting all of the liquid monomer from the vial/tube in a closed loop operation and directly delivering the liquid monomer into the mixing vessel containing the dry powder. This transfer operation is achieved upon demand by the user, while preventing the liquid monomer from being exposed to the user or to the surrounding area.
Abstract: Lower and upper covers permanently secured together form a vial enclosing chamber in a cap assembly which encloses the top of a bone cement mixing apparatus mixing chamber having prepackaged premeasured bone cement powder. The vial contains a monomer bone cement liquid and may be glass. The vial has two valve seats in corresponding ports on opposing vial side walls sealed by a releaseably secured preferably glass valve member threaded to a nozzle attached to the cap assembly. The vial ports are aligned with a mixing chamber liquid inlet port to permit the cement liquid to flow into the mixing chamber from the opened valves. The vial may be supplied enclosed in a separate package and includes valves on a valve stem attached to the package for opening and sealing the vial. In the alternative, the vial is frangible glass and may be opened by fracturing it and retaining the fragments in the vial receiving chamber to release the liquid to the mixing chamber.