Optivac 15 years of successful mixing

2 | O P T I V A C

Aseptic loosening due to porosity in bone

cement has been a major problem since the

start of cemented hip arthroplasty. The first

experiments to reduce porosity in bone cement

took place almost 25 years ago. This later led to

the patented invention of bone cement collection

under vacuum, which has been proven to

eliminate macropores. In 1993, Optivac was

introduced on the market and now celebrates

15 years of successful mixing.

Optivac is the world-leading vacuum mixing

system and is a result of many years of

continuous improvement.

Optivac is unmatched in documentation

among vacuum mixing systems.1,2,3,4,5

Congratulations Optivac!

O P T I V A C | 3

Minimized porosity and improved mechanical strength

Cement porosity directly affects the fatigue

behavior of the bone cement. Reducing the

number of pores can lead to remarkable

improvements in cement strength and fatigue life.

Several methods have been introduced in the

interest of reducing cement porosity, the most

Improvement of bone cement quality

efficient of which is applying vacuum throughout

the mixing and collection of the cement. The

fatigue life improves 10 times with vacuum mixing

at 4º C compared to hand mixing.6

Improvement of bone cement quality by using a

vacuum mixing system is one of the key pillars in

Modern Cementing Technique.

Cement mixed under vacuum 7

Cement mixed at atmospheric pressure 7

The Optivac system is used in more than 45 countries worldwide

Mixing and collection under vacuum minimizes both macropores and micropores

Two types of pores are classified in fully

polymerized bone cement:

1) macropores, with a pore diameter of more

than 1.0 mm.

2) micropores, with a pore diameter of

0.1–1 mm.1,8

Mixing under vacuum reduces the cement’s

microporosity, but has less effect on macro-

porosity. Continuous vacuum – from mixing to

collection – prevents macropore entrapment in

high viscosity cement.

With its patented design for collection

under vacuum, Optivac reduces both

microporosity and macroporosity.1,5,4,2,9

By dramatically reducing macroporosity,

Optivac helps to prolong cement fatigue life.

Improvement of bone cement quality

4 | O P T I V A C ®

Comparison of vacuum mixing with or without collection 7

Bone cement mixed with a vacuum mixing system without collection under vacuum. High occurrence of macropores.

Bone cement mixed with a vacuum mixing system with collection under vacuum.

O P T I V A C | 5

Safe working environment

Optivac meets modern safety standards and the

high demands on mixing bone cement. Bone

cement in Optivac is mixed and delivered in the

same cartridge, precluding direct contact with the

bone cement.

By drawing monomer fumes through special

filters, Optivac minimizes MMA exposures in

the OR to barely detectable levels.

Optigun and Optigun Ratchet are used to deliver

bone cement from the Optivac vacuum mixing

system in a retrograde fashion. The guns are

identical except for the feeding mechanism and

rod. With the Optigun and Optigun Ratchet

you will get adequate cement filling and the

application under pressure will increase the

cement’s interface strength and prevent air and

blood inclusions in the cement mantle.3,11

Retrograde filling

The Swedish Arthroplasty Register has shown

that retrograde cement filling of the femur

reduces risk of revision and is an important step

in Modern Cementing Technique.10

The packing is PVC free and the blister pack

also serves as a working tray, which minimizes

the waste.

Optivac contains no latex.

6 | O P T I V A C

The Optivac standardized mixing procedure

produces homogeneous cement with the lowest

possible porosity.

All types of bone cements can be mixed with the

Optivac system. Optivac is adaptable to various

application areas, such as hip, knee or shoulder

arthroplasty. Suitable nozzles can be found in

our assortment to be used for different types of

application areas.

Depending on the amount of the bone cement

required, choose the suitable Optivac cartridge.

Three sizes of Optivac cartridges are available,

small, medium and large.

Mixing is easy, requiring only a few simple steps.

Illustrated step-by step instructions can be found

on every product.

Standardized procedure and a flexible system

All sets include cartridge, nozzle, a vacuum line with sterile charcoal filter, a funnel, ampoule breakers and a working tray. The Optivac Hip and Optivac M sets also include a femoral pressurizer for optimal pressurization of the femoral canal.

Optivac was introduced in 1993 and celebrates 15 years of successful mixing

O P T I V A C | 7

Ordering information

Optivac sets REF

For low volume cements

Optivac Hip Set ..................................... 4150

Optivac S .............................................. 4161

Optivac M .............................................. 4160

Optivac L ............................................... 4152

For high volume cements

Optivac + Hip Set .................................. 4250

Instrumentation REF

Optigun ................................... 4193

Optigun Ratchet ..................................... 4195

Vacuum pump ....................................... 4232

Accessories REF

Nozzle angled ......................................... 4149

Optivac Nozzle Knee .............................. 4146

Nozzle slim ............................................ 4154

Nozzle revision ....................................... 4155

Knee cementation nozzle .......................... 4312

Nozzle cutter ......................................... 4159

For further inquires please contact: Biomet Cementing TechnologiesBox 306, 201 23 Malmö, Sweden · Phone + 46 40 669 7000

www.bonecement.com · se.bonecement@biomet.com

Responsible manufacturer: Biomet France Sarl58 Avenue de LAUTAGNE, BP75, 26903 Valence Cedex 9, FRANCE

Ref: BR4150-02 · CO 10-0223

References1 Wang J-S, Franzén H, Jonsson E, Lidgren L. Porosity of bone

cement reduced by mixing and collecting under vacuum. Acta Orthop Scand 1993, 64 (2): 143-146.

2 Wang J-S, Kjellson F. Bone Cement Porosity in Vacuum Mixing Systems, Bone Cements and Cementing Technique 2001, Walenkamp, Murray (Eds). Springer Verlag.

3 Malchau H, Herberts P, Garellick G, Söderman P, Eisler T. Prognosis of Total Hip Replacement. Scientific Exhibition presented at the 69 the Annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. February 13-17, 2002, Dallas.

4 Dunne N-J, Orr J.F. Influence of the mixing techniques on the physical properties of acrylic bone cement. Biomaterials 2001; 22: 1819-1826.

5 Wilkinson J.M., Stockely I, et al. Effect of mixing techniques on the Properties of Acrylic Bone-Cement, The Journal of Arthroplasty, 2000; 15:663-667.

6 Wang J-S, Toksvig-Larsen S, Muller-Wille P, Franzen H. Is there any difference between vacuum mixing systems in reducing bone cement porosity? Journal of Biomedical Materials Research. 1996; 33: (2):115-8.

7 Lidgren L, Bodelind B, Möller J. Bone cement improved by vacuum mixing and chilling, Acta Orthop Scand 1987; 57: 27-32.

8 Lewis G. Properties of Acrylic Bone Cement: State of Art Review, J Biomed Mater Res. 1997; 38 (2): 155-82

9 Breusch S, Cementing Techniques in Total Hip Replacement: Factors Influencing Survival of Femoral Components, In Bone cements and Cementing technique ed by Walenkamp G, Murray D, Springer Verlag 2001.

10 Oates KM; Barrera DL; Tucker WN; Chau CC, Bugbee WK, Convery FR In vivo effect or pressurization of polymethyl methacrylate bone cement. Biomechanical and histologic analyis. J Arthroplasty 1995; 10(3), pp. 373-381

11 McCaskie AW, Barnes MR, Lin E, Harper WM, Gregg PJ. Cement pressurisation during hip replacement. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1997; May:79(3):379-84.

Optivac is a trademark of Biomet Cementing Technologies AB.

©2011 Biomet. All rights reserved.

Patents U.S. 5 328 262, U.S. 5 501 520.