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Medical Applications
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Plastic finds uses in the medical industry in sterilization trays, dental and surgical instrument handles, orthopaedic implant trials, in fluid handling coupling and fitting applications. The lightweight and transparent properties of plastics are the most advantageous characteristics for its use in the medical industry. Lightweight plastics are used to form replacement joints, non-surgical supports, and therapy equipment, whereas, clear plastics provide visibility for transfusions, surgeries, and diagnostic equipment of all kinds.

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One of the most popular engineering resins in the medical device market is Polycarbonate fill, with key characteristics of toughness (a replacement for metal), rigidity, and strength. Polycarbonate has been used for more than 20 years in many products, such as blood oxygenators, blood reservoirs, and blood filters used in the bypass circuit. More recent examples include items like: connectors used in intravenous (IV) fluid lines, components such as stopcocks, y-injection sites, cannulae, check valves, filter housings, and male and female luer fittings. Additional products well suited for fabrication with polycarbonate include inflators, which are syringe-like instruments used to pressurize flexible catheters during angioplasty procedures. The transparent inflation chambers of these devices must be dimensionally stable and able to resist shattering under pressure.

A few facts on plastics in medicine:
  • In the past few decades, plastics have made health care simpler and made new techniques and prostheses possible.
  • Plastics have reduced contamination, relieved pain, and cut medical costs.
  • Plastics are key components of modern prosthetic devices, providing comfort, flexibility, mobility, and a life-like appearance.
  • Artificial hips and knees use plastics to help provide smoothly working, trouble-free joints.
  • Not too long ago, almost no medical packaging had tamper-evident seals. Today, nearly 100 percent of all pharmaceutical packaging does. In addition, child-resistant caps help keep medicines away from little hands.
  • Surgical gloves made of soft pliable plastic help preserve the sterile environment of hospital operating rooms.
  • Plastics have helped reduce the weight of eyeglass frames and lenses, while improving their strength and shatter resistance. Plastics also provide vision-impaired consumers with another option: contact lenses.


Check out more ways plastics are used in medicine:
www.devicelink.com
www.plasticsinfo.org
www.plastics.ca/newsroom/default.php?ID=60
www.americanchemistry.com/s_acc/sec_article.asp?CID=84&DID=4903


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