Plastics medical applications

This chapter illustrates the application of cellulosic fibrils in paper. However, research shows additionally that cellulosic fibrils find wide application across the manufacturing sector, in areas such as plastics, medical applications, and new novel product formulations. 

Medical Device and Diagnostic Industry, Conductive Plastics for Medical Applications, 1999, Retrieved from http //www.mddionline.com/article/conductive-plastics-medical-applications. 

Plastics continue to make inroads regarding medical applications. Certain plastics have been found to exist in the environment of living tissues. In addition to being of direct aid in medicine, they are also important in medical devices and packaging medical items. 

Polyelectrolytes such as the ion exchange plastics form an interesting group of materials because of their ability to interact with water solutions. They have been used in medical applications involving the removal of heavy metal ions from the human body. They can be used to interact with external electric fields and change their physical properties drastically as is illustrated by the fact that some electrically active liquid crystals are polyelectrolytes of low molecular weight. 

Plastics Additives and Compounding 2, No.6, June 2000, p.16-21 COMPOUNDING FOR MEDICAL APPLICATIONS... 

The use is examined of plastics in medical applications with reference to the US market for additives for these products. The use of plastics for medical applications, which include products and components of equipment, and packaging, is expected to exceed 4 billion US dollars in the next two years, with perhaps double or treble that figure for the world market, it is forecasted. The regulatory bodies governing the use of additives are reviewed, and specific additives discussed include plasticisers, stabilisers, conductive additives, and lubricants. The production of compounds for use in the medical sector is examined with reference to the activities of leading companies, and brief details of product developments are included. 

Nematollahi J, Guess WL, Autian J. 1967. Plasticizers in medical application I. Analysis and toxicity evaluation of dialkyl benzenedicarboxylates. J Pharmacol Sci 56 1446-1453. 

Telecommunications, the watch industry, medical applications, and the automotive and chemical industries are asking for smaller and smaller parts and components made of plastic. Standard injection machines are unsuitable for micro-parts. Here we describe, without claiming to be ejdiaustive, two examples of special machinery developed by Battenfeld and Medical Murray. 

Nodax has superior biocompatibility compared to other bioresorbable plastics, which makes the material suitable for some medical applications such as drug release, bone regeneration, and nerve guidance. 

Lignocellulosic research today is poised on the threshold of a new era of research breakthroughs. It has enabled the use of a wide variety of lignocellulosic materials, low-quality wood species and sawdust, and low-value lignin products. Lignocellulosic and cellulosic research efforts are under way to produce novel products for construction, transportation, plastics, fiber, packaging, and medical applications. Some of the major activities in chemical modifications of wood, cellulose, and lignins are the main features of this book. 

The amount of plastic waste generated is still considerably less than that of plastics produced in numerous applications (building, furniture, appliances) plastics meet longterm requirements before their disposal and therefore do not yet occur in the waste stream in big quantities. The majority of plastic wastes are found in municipal solid waste (MSW), as well as in waste streams arising in distribution, agriculture, construction and demolition, furniture and household ware, automotive, electronic and electrical, or medical applications. For a number of years the APME has ordered studies to be made that compile inventories of on the one hand production figures, on the other waste arising, by resin, country, and application and activity. 

Plastic materials are widely used in medical items, such as solution containers, transfusion sets, transfer tubing, devices, and packaging systems. The physiochemical nature of these materials provides medical products with their necessary, desirable performance characteristics. While an important performance characteristic of plastics used in medical application is chemical inertness, interactions between a plastic material and a contacted pharmaceutical product are well documented. Such interactions may include sorption, the uptake of product components by the plastic material, or leaching, i.e., the release of plastic material components into the product. In the case of leaching, both the identities of the leached substances and their accumulation levels may impact the ultimate utility of the product. 

DIDP is a general purpose plasticizer with a broad range of applications used in flexible PVC. It is widely used in the toy, construction, automotive, and general consumer product markets. It has limited use in food packaging and is not used in medical applications. 

Powell, D.G. Medical applications of polycarbonate. Medical Plastics and Biomaterials 1998. http //www.devicelink.com/mpb/archive/ 98/09/003.html (accessed November 2004). 

As is evident from the conducted studies, the majority of problems within this sector are veiy typical of the plastic industry in general. These include the need to improve reinforcement, durability, fatigue resistance, adhesion, reduce water absorption, etc. In addition to these problems are some issues which are only related specifically to medical applications such as toxicity and biocompatibility. These issues make this research an exclusive field in which the publication of findings is... 

Biodegradable polymers have some - however very few - useful applications wherever the degradation is an essential part of the products function (e.g. in certain medical applications, as collection bags for humid biowaste, whereever used plastic bags and bottles end up in the sea, etc.). 

Wells Plastics Ltd. of the UK, a compounder of additive masteibatches, has developed a technology that encapsulates silver ion anti-microbial systems within a soluble matrix. The silver ion formulations can help reduce infection in wound dressings, urinary catheters, and other medical applications. This article provides details. US,FOOD DRUG ADMINISTRATION WELLS PLASTICS LTD. 

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