Abstract: A bone cement forming kit, comprising a malleable bone cement material, and a flexible membrane encapsulating the malleable bone cement material, wherein the flexible membrane has at least one removable panel and is configured to form an aperture that exposes the malleable bone cement material once the panel is removed.

Abstract: A drill guide assembly for drilling a bone hole and implanting a suture anchor in the bone hole. The assembly includes a drill guide and a suture anchor. The drill guide includes a sidewall extending between a proximal end and a distal end of the drill guide. The sidewall defines a center cannulation configured to receive a drill. The suture anchor retention portion of the drill guide is configured to support a suture anchor for coupling with an inserter device pushed through the drill guide to implant the suture anchor in the bone hole.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a flowable material against a prosthetic implant can comprise a mold body having an outer surface and an inner surface. The inner surface can define a mold cavity that is selectively configured to at least partially accept the prosthetic implant in a forming position. An inlet port can be configured on the mold cavity that extends between the inner and outer surfaces. The mold cavity can substantially conform to a profile of a bone opposing surface of the prosthetic implant such that a void is created between the inner surface of the mold body and the bone opposing surface of the prosthetic implant. The inlet port can be configured to permit introduction of the flowable material into the void and against the bone opposing surface of the prosthetic implant.

Abstract: A mold for forming a coated intramedullary (IM) nail can include a tubular member having an insertion end and an opposite end. The tubular member can comprise a sidewall extending along a longitudinal axis between an outer surface and an inner surface. The sidewall can define at least one threaded inlet port therealong. The tubular member can be configured to receive the IM nail therein. The tubular member can be further configured to locate a flowable material against the IM nail within the inner surface.

Abstract: An orthopedic implant has a removable handling cover coupled thereto which includes a thin-walled layer extending over a grasping portion of the outer surface. An outer container can sealingly house the orthopedic implant within a sterile environment and support the orthopedic implant in an orientation that presents the handling cover for grasping. A surgeon can manually grasp, handle and manipulate the implant into an implantation position, and remove the handling cover from the implant during implant surgery, and without the need to directly contact any surface of the orthopedic implant itself. Related methods of providing such an implant assembly and of reducing infection from contamination during implantation surgery are also disclosed.

Abstract: A mold for forming a coated intramedullary (IM) nail can include a tubular member having an insertion end and an opposite end. The tubular member can comprise a sidewall extending along a longitudinal axis between an outer surface and an inner surface. The sidewall can define at least one threaded inlet port therealong. The tubular member can be configured to receive the IM nail therein. The tubular member can be further configured to locate a flowable material against the IM nail within the inner surface.

Abstract: Bone cement compositions and methods of making two-part bone cements. The methods comprise transferring premixed powder and a liquid component into a receptacle, and mixing the powder component and the liquid component to form a cement composition. The premixed powder component comprises an acrylic polymer and a radical initiator. The bone cement is loaded with from about 5% to about 6% gentamicin by weight of the powder component, and from about 4% to about 5% vancomycin by weight of the powder component. The methods include filling a mold cavity with the bone cement composition to form a temporary spacer implant. The bone cement compositions provide a viscosity profile sufficient for the bone cement composition to flow within the mold cavity for an elapsed working time period of greater than about 6 minutes from the start of mixing at approximately 23° C.

Abstract: A drill guide assembly for drilling a bone hole and implanting a suture anchor in the bone hole. The assembly includes a drill guide and a suture anchor. The drill guide includes a sidewall extending between a proximal end and a distal end of the drill guide. The sidewall defines a center cannulation configured to receive a drill. The suture anchor retention portion of the drill guide is configured to support a suture anchor for coupling with an inserter device pushed through the drill guide to implant the suture anchor in the bone hole.

Abstract: A cement mold assembly configured to form a temporary implant for use in delivering antibiotics to an infected site can includes a first mold and a second mold. The first mold can have an open end and an inner wall. The first mold can define a tibial component forming cavity including a platform forming cavity and a stem forming cavity. The second mold can have a body portion configured to be slidably and progressively receivable by the inner wall into the tibial component forming cavity in a direction toward the closed end. Progressive advancement of the second mold into the tibial component forming cavity urges cement within the tibial component forming cavity against the body portion and the inner wall to form a unitary tibial component having a tibial tray portion formed by the platform forming cavity and a stem portion formed by the stem forming cavity.

Abstract: A mold for forming a coated intramedullary (IM) nail can include a tubular member having an insertion end and an opposite end. The tubular member can comprise a sidewall extending along a longitudinal axis between an outer surface and an inner surface. The sidewall can define at least one threaded inlet port therealong. The tubular member can be configured to receive the IM nail therein. The tubular member can be further configured to locate a flowable material against the IM nail within the inner surface.

Abstract: Bone cement compositions and methods of making two-part bone cements. The methods comprise transferring premixed powder and a liquid component into a receptacle, and mixing the powder component and the liquid component to form a cement composition. The premixed powder component comprises an acrylic polymer and a radical initiator. The bone cement is loaded with from about 5% to about 6% gentamicin by weight of the powder component, and from about 4% to about 5% vancomycin by weight of the powder component. The methods include filling a mold cavity with the bone cement composition to form a temporary spacer implant. The bone cement compositions provide a viscosity profile sufficient for the bone cement composition to flow within the mold cavity for an elapsed working time period of greater than about 6 minutes from the start of mixing at approximately 23° C.

Abstract: A container for storing a liquid component of bone cement. The container includes a flexible film sealed about its periphery to define a cavity. The cavity has a first layer, a second layer, and a vinyl barrier layer between the first layer and the second layer. The cavity is operable to store the liquid component of bone cement.

Abstract: A vacuum package system for hydrating and/or rehydrating orthopedic graft materials, such as allograft materials, xenograft materials, and synthetic materials, is described. The system primarily includes a container, which includes a dividing device for dividing the container into first and second compartments and for isolating the compartments from one another, the first compartment containing a liquid component and the second compartment containing either dry porous and/or dehydrated orthopedic graft material under vacuum with a tubular member. The elongated tubular member extends from, and is in communication with, the second compartment. The tubular portion defines vacuum reservoir device is disposed within the first compartment and is in communication with the second compartment.

Abstract: A bone cement having a dry component including a large constituent and a small constituent. The small constituent fills a substantial volume of the interstitial spaces between the particles of the large constituent. Therefore, only a second or minor interstitial space is left remaining between the individual particles of the small constituent and the particles of the small constituent and the particles of the large constituent. Therefore, a reduced amount of a polymerizable component need be added to the dry component to form a bone cement. Such a bone cement formulation decreases the exothermic temperature of the bone cement and decreases the possibility of tissue necrosis in the implantation area.

Abstract: A bone cement having a dry component including a large constituent and a small constituent. The small constituent fills a substantial volume of the interstitial spaces between the particles of the large constituent. Therefore, only a second or minor interstitial space is left remaining between the individual particles of the small constituent and the particles of the small constituent and the particles of the large constituent. Therefore, a reduced amount of a polymerizable component need be added to the dry component to form a bone cement. Such a bone cement formulation decreases the exothermic temperature of the bone cement and decreases the possibility of tissue necrosis in the implantation area.

Abstract: A vacuum package system for hydrating and/or rehydrating orthopedic graft materials, such as allograft materials, xenograft materials, and synthetic materials, is described. The system primarily includes a container, which includes a dividing device for dividing the container into first and second compartments and for isolating the compartments from one another, the first compartment containing a liquid component and the second compartment containing either dry porous and/or dehydrated orthopedic graft material under vacuum. An elongated pocket portion extends from, and is in communication with, the second compartment. A vacuum reservoir device is disposed within the pocket portion and is in communication with the second compartment.

Abstract: A container for containing first and second components that are to be mixed with one another. The container includes a divider and a barrier mechanism. The divider isolates a first compartment containing the liquid component from a second compartment for containing the powder. A vacuum source is placed in fluid communication with the second compartment. The vacuum source is of sufficient size and pressure to cause the first component to be drawn through the second component to ensure thorough admixing of the first and second components after the integrity of the divider has been compromised. The barrier mechanism is disposed between the second compartment and the vacuum source and forms a barrier to resist infiltration of the first component but permit the passage of gas into the vacuum source. A method for forming a compound using the container of the present invention is also provided.

Abstract: A cable assembly (8, 80) including an electrical cable (10) having a flexible tubular jacket (12) and a reinforcing structure (14) attached to the outside of the jacket in a smooth sealing connection (30), and a method of using radio-frequency electrical energy, applied radially through the cable jacket (12) and the reinforcing structure (14), to make the connection (30). A shield conductor (26) inside the cable jacket (14) may be used as an RF electrode, with a second RF electrode (42, 44) circumscribing a portion of the cable (12) and the reinforcing structure (14) and shaping the outer surface of the connection. The RF energy may be used instead to activate an adhesive (108). An outer electrode (118) may be embedded in the reinforcing structure (116) in one variation of the invention.

Abstract: A cable assembly (8, 80) including an electrical cable (10) having a flexible tubular jacket (12) and a reinforcing structure (14) attached to the outside of the jacket in a smooth sealing connection (30), and a method of using radio-frequency electrical energy, applied radially through the cable jacket (12) and the reinforcing structure (14), to make the connection (30). A shield conductor (26) inside the cable jacket (14) may be used as an RF electrode, with a second RF electrode (42, 44) circumscribing a portion of the cable (12) and the reinforcing structure (14) and shaping the outer surface of the connection. The RF energy may be used instead to activate an adhesive (108). An outer electrode (118) may be embedded in the reinforcing structure (116) in one variation of the invention.

Abstract: A multiconductor cable (10) including a large number of coaxial conductor pairs (16), with the coaxial conductor pairs arranged in groups (14) each including several of the coaxial conductor pairs arranged in a required order as a modular array (18) with each of the conductor pairs of each array being held in a required position with respect to the others and supported with a portion of each central conductor (54) and each shield conductor (47) exposed at a predetermined position, for connection of the array to a corresponding array (28) of terminal pads (24, 26) on a circuit board (30) or the like. Each array includes support bodies (32, 34) of flexible dielectric sheet material adhesively attached to the coaxial conductor pairs to support them in the required positions. Apertures (70, 76) are defined in the sheet material to expose the conductors for simultaneous soldering to, or unsoldering from, the terminal pads (24, 26), without removal of the support bodies (32, 34) from the coaxial conductors.