Medical textiles

In all intra- and extracorporeal applications, the textiles are in direct contact with living tissue and bodily fluids. This requires that the material must not interfere with the organism in any way nor must the used materials be damaged by the biological environment of the body (Planck, 1993). A material that meets both requirements is regarded as biocompatible. The definition of biocompatibility is complex and can only be regarded as the sum of certain properties reflecting the above-mentioned demands. The term itself is described in DIN ISO 10993. A simplified definition that is suitable for most textiles focuses on either chemical, structural, or mechanical properties (compliance). 

The mechanical compliance is determined by the product design, and it influences other properties of the textile such as bending stiffness, stress and strain behavior, 

Apart from biocompatibility, the possibility to sterilize the textile is also important. The standard DIN EN 556 describes the procedures and the respective tests in detail. Many sterilization processes cause changes in the polymeric materials that can even lead to the macromolecules decomposing. For each material and for every product geometry, an appropriate sterilization method must be found, as described in Wintermantel (2009). 

---

Ultrafine CeUulose Fibre from Weyerhauser Co.," Medical Textiles, (Nov. 1990). 

MiraftabM, Qiao Q, Kennedy JP, Anand SC, Collyer GJ (2001) In Anand SC (ed) Medical Textiles. Woodhead, Cambridge, p. 164... 

Planck H., General aspects in the use of medical textiles for implantation in Planck H., Dauner M., Renardy M. (eds) Medical Textiles for Implantation, Spinger-Verlag, Heidelberg, 1991,1-16. 

Medical textiles and biomateials for healthcare (ISBN-13 978-1-85573-683-2 ISBN-10 1-85573-683-7)... 

Anionic softeners are heat stable at normal textile processing temperatures and compatible with other components of dye and bleach baths. They can easily be washed off and provide strong antistatic effects and good rewetting properties because their anionic groups are oriented outward and are surrounded by a thick hydration layer. Sulfonates are, in contrast to sulfates, resistent to hydrolysis (Fig. 3.3). They are often used for special applications, such as medical textiles, or in combination with anionic fluorescent brightening agents. 

Repellent finishes are important components of many protective textiles. Apphca-tions for repellent textiles range from medical textiles to raincoats. The low surface energies provided by repellent finishes can keep solid and liquid soils from adhering to treated fiber surfaces. Finishes based on hydrocarbon and silicone chemistries can yield water repellent textiles, while fluorochemicals are necessary to achieve the low surface energies needed for dry soil and oil repellency. "... 

Medical Textiles. UK International Newsletters. ISSN 0266-2078. Covers technical developments in materials and applications—fibres, yams and fabrics, equipment, surgical and orthopedic applications, dental uses, and hygiene— together with standards, market and industry news. 

Results are presented of some preliminary tests of the irreversible immobilisation of poly(L,L-lactide) microspheres loaded with Triclosan antibacterial agent onto viscose non-woven structures. The research covered the production of a suspension containing microspheres loaded with Triclosan, tests on the bonding of microspheies with the base textile material and a quantitative assessment of the effect achieved (including microbiological tests). These results indicate the potential for development of new technologies for medical textiles. 11 refs. 

Protective medical textiles, such as gowns, gloves, face masks and wound dressings, reduce the risks of exposure to disease by acting as barriers to infectious agents. However, there is mounting evidence that the level of protection provided is not adequate. Textile materials with antimicrobial properties can be made by chemically or... 

The increasing occurrence of microbial and nosocomial infection has stimulated research activities into antimicrobial polymers and textiles [19, 25, 34]. Most medical textiles and polymeric materials used in hospitals are conductive to crosstransmission of diseases, as most microorganisms can survive on these materials for hours to several months [17, 26]. Thus, it would be advantageous for polymeric surfaces and textile materials to exhibit antibacterial properties so as to reduce and prevent disease transmission and cross-contamination within and from hospitals. N-halamines exhibit a similar antimicrobial potency to chlorine bleach, one of the most widely used disinfectants, but they are much more stable, less corrosive and have a considerably reduced tendency to generate halogenated hydrocarbons, making them attractive candidates for the production of antimicrobial polymeric materials. N-halamine compounds are currently used as antimicrobial additives to produce polymers with antimicrobial and biofilm-limiting activities. 

Applications of shape memory materials in medical textiles... 

There are five classes of photochromic compounds, and most of these can be used to build smart medical textiles ... 

The UPF is the measure of protection that a textile or textile-like, porous material provides against the negative influence of the sun. The calculation of the UPF includes the relative erythemal response, (A), which takes into account the human skin response as indicated in the equation below. The UPF falls under the umbrella of medical textiles, as the textile bearing a 50+ mark provides more than sufficient shielding from solar irradiance (Wu et al., 2014) (Table 2.6). 

---