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.
Firstly, 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.
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.
This is a versatile and durable thermoplastic. It has a high impact resistance and is also resistance 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.
Plastic is essential to the medical industry as it offers the following benefits:
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.
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.
Medical plastics can be massed produced and last far longer than other materials such as metal, as this is prone to wear and tear damager 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.
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 sterilization 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 sterilization. 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 customized.
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.
If you would like to find out more about what we can do for the medical sector, feel free to contact our team for more information on either phone; +44 (0)1623 812333 or email us on info@ansini.co.uk.
If you have a question for us, or would like to discuss a specific project, please do get in touch.