METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MONITORING AND/OR CONTROLLING THE CURING OF CEMENTS USED IN MEDICAL PROCEDURES

摘要

A system for monitoring a cement that undergoes polymerization during cur ing such as most bone and dental cements by passing an electrical signal thr ough the cement to determine the swelling phase, the initiation of polymeriz ation of the cement and the effective working phase. The system further can control the swelling phase to reduce the time from the mixing of the cement to the initiation of the polymerization by using a ultrasonic signal or by h eating the cement and can control the effective working phase after the poly merization has been initiated in order to prolong the working phase by cooli ng the cement.