Plastics, especially single-use plastics, are often heavily criticized, even if they are recyclable.
The truth, however, is that in some environments, they are not just useful but necessary. The medical industry, for example, is heavily reliant on them.
Here are just some of the ways plastics are facilitating and enhancing patient care.
Medical staff use to rely on components made of glass or wood and materials had to be extensively sterilised before each use. Plastic has removed the need for in depth sterilisation as more components can be produced and at a cheaper cost.
Nowadays, over 40% of medical parts contain plastic and this is down to the flexibility and adaptability of the material.
There are various different plastics that have their own different characteristics that are used within the medical industry. Here are the three main types of plastics used within the medical industry:
These are used in a variety of materials but are well known for their high impact and resistance characteristics. Polycarbonates can also withstand high-temperatures, making them very pliable and can be formed at room temperature without cracking. Polycarbonate plastic is durable and is perfectly suited to a medical environment as it offers a long lifecycle and reliability.
Common medical parts made from polycarbonates include:
This is a cost-effective medical grade plastic and is suitable for devices that require steam-sterilisation. As well as steam resistance, polypropylene is highly durable whilst also being recyclable, this makes it a common choice for hospitals looking for medical grade plastics.
Common medical parts made from polypropylene include:
This is a versatile and durable thermoplastic. It has a high impact resistance and is also resistant to harsh chemicals that may be used within a medical environment. Polyethylene doesn’t fade or retain dangerous bacteria that can form on surfaces, ideal for use within hospitals and surgeries.
Common medical parts made from polyethylene include:
Here are just a few examples of medical devices that are manufactured from plastic:
Plastic is essential to the medical industry as it offers the following benefits:
Medical plastic has a great deal of applications in healthcare and continues to be used in different products. Plastic is extremely versatile and can be moulded into different shapes and forms without losing any of its strength or sterility properties.
Plastics that are used within the medical industry can have an antimicrobial surface that repels bacteria, this helps reduce the spread of diseases around hospitals. Antimicrobial plastic is known to kill bacteria and also eliminate pathogens on surfaces that aren’t cleaned or cleaned often.
Tools and devices such as surgical gloves, syringes, insulin pens and catheters are made from plastic and designed for single-use to prevent the spread of diseases and infections. These products do not need sterilising.
Plastics used in the medical industry can be tamper-proof and shatterproof, this helps protect both staff and patients from any further harm and increases their own safety levels whilst in the medical environment.
Many patients may require medical equipment and supplies to be stored at home. Blister packs that store prescription tablets are commonly used and are made from plastic. Blister packs offer easy tablet organisation for daily or weekly use.
They are extremely light, cheap to produce and easy to manufacture to meet demands. Additional medical equipment such as tubes and syringes are also manufactured from plastic.
More and more plastic products have found their way into local communities. Especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. Plastic is still used in todays world, especially in healthcare facilities where plastic screens are used to protect staff from patients at desks, these small measures can go a long way,
Plastics are recyclable, making them one of the most environmentally sustainable options for medical equipment.
Medical plastic conforms with professional ISO, FDA, CE & UKCA standards to ensure it is safe for use. This adds credibility and technical authority and is an important factor for healthcare businesses when acquiring new plastic based medical products.
Additionally, medical plastics conform with biocompatibility and sterilisation requirements.
Previously, the healthcare industry used metal or metallic medical devices, especially in prosthetics. However, plastic is now the most commonly used material as it offers improved comfort and unrivalled durability compared to metal. Additionally, plastic is also easier to sterilise when required.
Medical plastics can be mass produced and last far longer than other materials such as metal, as this is prone to wear and tear damage as well as corrosion. Medical Plastic is highly durable and can withstand wear and tear, it can also be sterilised frequently with harsh chemicals and show no sign of damage.
Plastic can be moulded to suit the requirements of many specific applications, and is always being used to design and develop new medical devices. Modern pacemakers, joint replacement devices and stents are manufactured from plastic as it can adapt to the smallest and most intricate moulds.
Probably the most obvious way plastics are benefitting the medical sector is in the creation of sterile equipment and packaging. Some areas of medicine involve a high degree of exposure to blood and other bodily fluids and this can create a serious health hazard (an issue which was highlighted by the discovery of AIDS in the 1980s).
Use-once plastic equipment is guaranteed to be safe to use and hence eliminates any concerns about errors in the sterilisation process (human or technical).
Use-once plastic equipment also relieves some of the pressure on medical staff as they simply dispose of it after use, instead of having to oversee its sterilisation. The waste produced can be sorted by non-medical staff in preparation for recycling or safe disposal.
Even when bodily fluids are not an issue, plastic wrapping makes it possible to transport medicines safely. It keeps them protected from environmental pollutants and helps prevent deliberate tampering (bad actors), potentially-serious accidents (children or animals consuming medicine) and genuine human errors.
Plastic packaging can also make it easier for some patients to receive treatment at home. For example, they can be given a set of use-once syringes filled with the exact medication that they need.
This means that medical staff can do the tricky work of measuring the dose as one batch task and patients (or local carers) can take care of the easier process of injecting it.
Eyeglasses/contact lenses and hearing aids are now much lighter and more comfortable than they used to be, thanks to the use of plastics. Hearing aids are also more effective (admittedly, this is not only due to the use of plastics, but it has helped).
It’s easier to produce intricate prosthetics such as artificial heart valves and possible to make commonplace prosthetics more comfortable to wear thanks to the malleability and durability of plastics.
More advanced forms of prosthetics are also in a process of improvement, largely thanks to the plastics industry.
This can be seen in the results which can now be achieved by sportspeople who use prosthetics. They would have been unimaginable without the advances made possible by plastics.
While this is still a relatively niche use for plastics, it may be the most exciting due to the possibilities it opens up for the future. As the years have gone by, healthcare has changed from being essentially reactive (the patient noticed symptoms and went to a doctor) to proactive (health screenings) and is now in the process of becoming not only predictive but highly customised.
The plastics industry, plus 3D printers, could provide a cost-effective way of delivering “tailor-made”, innovative treatments on-demand. This would potentially be a huge step forward in health-care.
In its current form, medical plastic is not 100% sustainable as a lot of medical plastics are single use. However, sustainability is beginning to improve through the use of reusable materials in products that are not single use.
Some medical plastics can be recycled, but this does heavily depend on its use:
What can be recycled:
What cannot be recycled:
It’s no secret that the medical industry will continue to use plastic, even as different sectors try and turn away from plastic based materials. The future holds exciting possibilities that are driven by continuous advancements in the design of plastic, the potential of plastic materials in healthcare is significant.
Medical professionals can anticipate the development of even more sophisticated medical devices integrated with the latest cutting edge technology.
Plastic will continue to be used and grow within the medical industry and the benefits of this material are only expected to grow. By developing the properties of plastic materials, the medical industry can continue to improve patient outcomes, enhance quality of life and revolutionise treatment.
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