Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
281 words
A bone canal pressurizer for use in conjunction with the nozzle of a bone cement dispenser for compacting bone cement into the bone canal of a bone, said bone canal pressurizer comprising: a body of soft foam material, said body having a planar proximal surface and a planar distal surface, said planar surfaces being parallel, said proximal surface having a greater surface area than said distal surface, and a side wall extending between said proximal surface and said distal surface, said side wall including a base portion normal to said proximal surface and an inclined portion extending from an edge of said base portion to said distal surface, said body defining a bore extending from said proximal surface to said distal surface, said bore having a diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the cement dispenser's nozzle; and a rigid plate fixed to said proximal surface and having a hole extending therethrough, said hole being aligned with said bore extending through said body, and said hole having a diameter larger than the outer diameter of said cement dispenser's nozzle, said plate having planar and parallel distal and proximal surfaces, said plate proximal surface being devoid of protrusions extending therefrom so as to be configured to receive in abutting engagement a cement dispenser portion there against, an outer edge of said plate being spaced inwardly from said body side wall base portion and being normal to said body proximal surface; said distal surface of said body being sized so as to be small enough to fit within the bone canal of a bone, and said rigid plate being sized so as to be larger than the bone canal of that same bone.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
281 words
A bone canal pressurizer for use in conjunction with the nozzle of a bone cement dispenser for compacting bone cement into the bone canal of a bone, said bone canal pressurizer comprising: a body of soft foam material, said body having a planar proximal surface and a planar distal surface, said planar surfaces being parallel, said proximal surface having a greater surface area than said distal surface, and a side wall extending between said proximal surface and said distal surface, said side wall including a base portion normal to said proximal surface and an inclined portion extending from an edge of said base portion to said distal surface, said body defining a bore extending from said proximal surface to said distal surface, said bore having a diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the cement dispenser's nozzle; and a rigid plate fixed to said proximal surface and having a hole extending therethrough, said hole being aligned with said bore extending through said body, and said hole having a diameter larger than the outer diameter of said cement dispenser's nozzle, said plate having planar and parallel distal and proximal surfaces, said plate proximal surface being devoid of protrusions extending therefrom so as to be configured to receive in abutting engagement a cement dispenser portion there against, an outer edge of said plate being spaced inwardly from said body side wall base portion and being normal to said body proximal surface; said distal surface of said body being sized so as to be small enough to fit within the bone canal of a bone, and said rigid plate being sized so as to be larger than the bone canal of that same bone.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
A pressurizer according to claim 1 wherein said distal surface has a rounded configuration.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
A pressurizer according to claim 2 wherein said distal surface has a circular configuration.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
A pressurizer according to claim 1 wherein said proximal surface has a trapezoidal configuration, with rounded off corners.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
A pressurizer according to claim 1 wherein said plate has a trapezoidal configuration, with rounded off corners.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
A pressurizer according to claim 1 wherein the central axis of said bore is substantially centered across the widths of said proximal surface and said distal surface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
A pressurizer according to claim 1 wherein the central axis of said bore is spaced from a central portion of said body proximal surface, along the length of said body proximal surface and is substantially central of said body distal surface.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
A pressurizer according to claim 1 wherein said body is chamfered at the point at which said bore meets said proximal surface.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
308 words
A method for dispensing bone cement into a bone canal of a bone, said method comprising the steps of: providing a cement dispenser including a nozzle for conveying the bone cement from a cement reservoir in said dispenser to the distal end of said nozzle; said nozzle being adapted to be snapped off to shorten the length of said nozzle; providing a bone canal pressurizer comprising: a body of soft foam material, said body having a planar proximal surface and a planar distal surface, said proximal surface having a greater surface area than said distal surface, and an inclined side wall extending between said proximal surface and said distal surface, said body defining a bore extending from said proximal surface to said distal surface, said bore having a diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the cement dispenser's nozzle; and a rigid plate fixed to said proximal surface and having a hole extending therethrough, said hole being aligned with said bore extending through said body, and said hole having a diameter larger than the outer diameter of said cement dispenser's nozzle; said distal surface of said body being sized so as to be small enough to fit within the bone canal of a bone, and said rigid plate being sized so as to be larger than the bone canal of that same bone; urging said distal surface of said body into the bone canal; snapping off a portion of said nozzle of said cement dispenser to shorten the length of said nozzle; moving said nozzle through said hole in said plate and through said bore in said body, until said body is wedged in said bone canal and the distal end of said nozzle is positioned in said bone canal; and manipulating said nozzle as desired within the bone canal and ejecting the cement into the bone canal.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
308 words
A method for dispensing bone cement into a bone canal of a bone, said method comprising the steps of: providing a cement dispenser including a nozzle for conveying the bone cement from a cement reservoir in said dispenser to the distal end of said nozzle; said nozzle being adapted to be snapped off to shorten the length of said nozzle; providing a bone canal pressurizer comprising: a body of soft foam material, said body having a planar proximal surface and a planar distal surface, said proximal surface having a greater surface area than said distal surface, and an inclined side wall extending between said proximal surface and said distal surface, said body defining a bore extending from said proximal surface to said distal surface, said bore having a diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the cement dispenser's nozzle; and a rigid plate fixed to said proximal surface and having a hole extending therethrough, said hole being aligned with said bore extending through said body, and said hole having a diameter larger than the outer diameter of said cement dispenser's nozzle; said distal surface of said body being sized so as to be small enough to fit within the bone canal of a bone, and said rigid plate being sized so as to be larger than the bone canal of that same bone; urging said distal surface of said body into the bone canal; snapping off a portion of said nozzle of said cement dispenser to shorten the length of said nozzle; moving said nozzle through said hole in said plate and through said bore in said body, until said body is wedged in said bone canal and the distal end of said nozzle is positioned in said bone canal; and manipulating said nozzle as desired within the bone canal and ejecting the cement into the bone canal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 9 wherein said pressurizer is urged into said bone canal before said nozzle is moved through said pressurizer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 9 wherein said nozzle is moved through said pressurizer before said pressurizer is urged into said bone canal.