Vacuum mixing of acrylic bone cement.

A partial-vacuum (500-550 mmHg), slow-speed (2 Hz) system for optimal blending of the liquid and powder components of Simplex-P acrylic bone cement was developed to eliminate five different sources of porosity observed with x-ray during the course of cement preparation and specimen fabrication. The vacuum mixing system produces set specimens of less than 1% porosity that have significant improvements over specimens prepared with conventional mixing in the mechanical properties of tensile and compressive strength and uniaxial tensile fatigue life. Hence, a much stronger cement can be available in surgery without any change in original chemical composition.