When we talk about the medical devices nowadays, we always mean the plastic medical devices.
The plastic medical devices are revolutionizing the medical industry.
Before, the medical devices are made by the steel, glass, ceramic and so on.
Now they are almost replaced by the cost-effective, durable, light material-medical plastics.
This article helps us to know the advantages of the medical plastics and the changes they bring to the medical industry.
What Is Medical Grade Plastic?
“Medical grade”, when we heard the words, we will relate it to doctor, hospital and science. So medical plastics must be operated under the physician’s license. In the case of a medical plastics manufacturer or supplier, this means a medical director is needed to supervise and regulate the materials used to fabricate the equipment.
Medical plastics is designed to be used under the situation of the high-temperature, chemical and corrosion resistant. In this case, it can be handled by frequent sterilization cycles and any other medical or bodily fluids. There are two common polymers which are used widely in MRI casings and surgical tools, medical grade polypropylene and medical grade polycarbonate.
For a better understanding of medical grade plastics, let’s explore the advantages they bring to the health care industry.
1. Versatility
Medical plastic is widely used in health care, from the obvious to the unexpected. Disposable medical devices such as bed pans, inhalation masks, IV tubes, kinds of catheters have shifted from other materials to plastic in recent decades. Nowadays, plastic is not only used in internal implants and the casings for pill, but also in disposable catheters and joint replacements. Most of the things that you can find in a modern hospital room are made of plastic.
2. Easy Sterilization
Medical equipment like surgical tools are ideal for one-time use if they are made of medical plastic. The spread of the dangerous infections and diseases can be easily prevented by simply disposing of single-use tools after finishing a procedure. However, there are also special plastics which are used in medical devices with antimicrobial surfaces. The high-effective surfaces are suitable for repelling and killing dangerous bacteria, even if they aren’t regularly sterilized.
3. Greater Safety
Since medical plastic is shatter-proof and non-permeable, it is a great and safety solution for transporting bio-hazards materials. The safe removal of medical waste can prevent the dangerous pathogens spreading. Medical plastic is also used in tamper-proof caps, avoiding the foul existing in a patient’s pharmaceuticals.
4. Improved the Quality Of Life
Medical grade plastics made the lives of amputees more comfortable and easier. Since plastic can be highly personalized by injection molding, a patient can use a lightweight, durable prosthetic. Many plastics are also hypoallergenic, so patients with allergies compares to the traditional medical materials like latex, are at a lower risk of reaction during the treatment.
5. Cost-Effective
Low manufacturing costs and longevity of medical plastic makes it a sought-after investment in modern medicine, so the medical plastics are widely used in the medical area. The metal device and glass equipment is prone to corrosion and shattering, but plastic is resistant to both. Some plastic tools are made for single-use disposal medical devices, but other equipment is designed as repeated sterilizations for a long-term usage.
6. Environmentally Friendly
To be one of the most environmentally sustainable options for medical devices, the biggest reason is plastics are recyclable. It is much easier for health care providers to meet their demanding of the medical applications and remain environmentally responsible thanks to medical grade plastics.
7. Potential Of Future Innovations
The medical plastic innovations currently being researched could provide even greater benefits to the health care industry. 3D printing makes it much easier to create more available, comfortable prosthetic. Researchers are currently testing an injection molding plastic that could help gently staunch bleeding due to internal trauma. There are so many possibilities, and seemingly endless.
Creating Safe and Effective Medical Devices
The durability, and bio-compatibility are the most important factors that the original equipment manufacturers (OEM) need to consider on the demand of the market. By the way, medical grade plastic materials must meet the regulations of the medical devices throughout the globe. To ensure the plastic material is SAFE AND EFFECTIVE FOR MEDICAL PRODUCTS, polymers for medical devices are mostly made of thermoplastic materials.
Thermoplastic is a type of synthetic polymer.
All plastics are made from specific types of synthetic polymers. Usually the terms ‘polymer’ and ‘plastic’ are used as synonymous. So thermoplastics are distinguished from other synthetic polymers because they can be reheated and remolded again and again without irreversible degradation. The changes are physical, not chemical, that means thermoplastics can be reused and recycled. When they are heated, thermoplastics will be liquefied and easy to be molded, then solidifies into a durable finished product when cooled. This makes thermoplastics a suitable material for custom plastic injection molding and injection blow molding services.
It must be the medical grade polymers when chose the thermoplastic materials.
