Medical devices disposal

Ethylene oxide treatment can also be considered as an alternative to radiation sterilizahon in the commercial production of disposable medical devices (Chapter 21). These techniques do not, however, offer the same degree of sterility assuranee as heat methods and are generally reserved for temperature-sensihve items. 

Polycarbonate can be readily injection molded. Polycarbonates typically require only a short injection molding cycle time, because the polymer flows into the mold easily and solidifies rapidly. We injection mold polycarbonate to produce a wide variety of commercial goods, including compact disks, jewel cases, aircraft windows, kitchen utensils, and clear refrigerators drawers. Polycarbonates are also found in a wide range of disposable medical devices, such as the flow locks on intravenous tubes and the hard, disposable components of dialysis machines. Impact resistant polycarbonate is used to manufacture sports and other safety helmets. Glass fiber reinforced polycarbonate is used in the housings for power tools. 

Medical, laboratory and care applications transparent pre-filled syringes, pharmaceutical containers and packages, primary packaging of pharmaceuticals, medical devices, diagnostic disposables, laboratory ware. .. 

These compositions may comprise a single ethylene/ alpha-olefin or a blend thereof and, optionally, at least one diluent including waxes, plasticisers, such as oil, polymeric tackifiers or mixtures thereof. They may be used as cabinet sealants and as foam layers in disposable articles, such as nappies, incontinence devices and medical devices, such as bandages and dressings. 

Specialty membrane devices used as sensing elements and electrode components are often built permanently into instruments. Diagnostic or medical devices are often single-use disposable items. 

Another important criterion to recognize for medical device adhesives is the resistance to sterilization. Most disposable and reusable medical devices go through some type of... 

Chapter 9 examines the market opportunities for biodegradable plastics by end use market covering packaging, bags and sacks, disposable serviceware, agriculture and horticulture, medical devices, consumer electronics products, automotive, speciality cards and fibres. 

Brewer, J.H. Schmitt, R.F. Special Problems in the Sterility Testing of Disposable Medical Devices, Annual General Meeting of the Parenteral Drug Association, New York, November, 2, 1966. 

A basic prerequisite of product design is that sealed internal cavities should be avoided for products intended for terminal sterilization by exposure to ethylene oxide. Disposable hypodermic syringes were among the first medical devices to be sterilized in large numbers by ethylene oxide. Syringe plungers are usually fitted with elastomeric lips that seal with an interference fit to the internal barret wall at two diameters separated by an internal cavity (Fig. 1). The... 

The manufacturing processes need to take a holistic view of tlie total life cycle of products including tlieh manufactme and disposal (from factory and from patient). Tlie choice of chual syntheses, metabolically engineered cells, microreactors for optimized processes, and medical devices designed for function and recycling (and manufacturability) are key considerations to be applied early in the development process. 

Advances in materials have made the development of disposable medical devices, such as needles and thermometers, as well as implantable drug delivery systems, a reality. 

Although hundreds of polymers are easily synthesized and could be used as biomaterials only ten to twenty polymers are mainly used in medical device fabrications from disposable to long-term implants as given in Table 40.5. In this section, the general information of the characteristics, properties, and applications of the most commonly used polymers will be discussed [BiUmeyer, 1984 Park, 1984 Leininger and Bigg, 1986 Shalaby, 1988 Brandrup and Immergut, 1989 Sharma and Szycher, 1991 Park and Lakes, 1992 Dumitriu, 1993 Lee and Lee, 1995 Ratner et al., 1996]. 

PP has inherent good barrier properties and high clarity, in addition to proper radiation resistance. Properties which made PP one of the best candidates in medical devices and packaging applications (parenteral nutrition and dialysis films, blister packaging and flexible pouches, syringes, tubing, hospital disposables, test tubes, beakers and pipettes). Medical grade PP is used mostly as blown, cast films and also as coextruded layered structures. 

Twenty years ago, ATL formed a second division that focused on servicing the medical industry by converting foams and tapes into disposable medical devices. The company developed a relationship with 3M and became one of 14 3M Medical Preferred Converters in the U.S. ATL s ability to achieve and surpass the strict quality standards required by the medical industry led to a natural transition into the pharmaceutical industry in 2001, when the company developed an in-line booklet label from 3-19 pages. Since then, ATL has manufactured more than 120 million pharmaceutical booklet labek in over 80 languages for more than 1,700 clinical trials. 

For the medieal industry, housings for various durable or disposable medical devices eould be marked. The permanence of the mark would help ensure that information stayed put on the deviee, despite one-time or repeated ETO, E-beam, or cold-chemical sterilization cy-... 

Styrene Butadiene Copolymer Thermoplastic polymers of butadiene and >50% styrene having good transparency, toughness, and processibility. Processed by extrusion, injection and blow-molding, and thermoforming. Used in film wraps, disposable packaging, medical devices, toys, display racks, and office supplies. 

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