Today, the application of engineering plastics has revolutionized the manufacturing industry, mainly due to its improved capabilities and properties compared to other types of plastics. More specifically, medical plastics are now used to produce functional medical plastic parts of various shapes and sizes in the healthcare sector.
So this guide looks at everything you need to know about medical plastics as we look at their types, properties, benefits, and applications.
What are medical plastics?
Medical plastics are types of plastic designed or adapted for the production of various types of medical plastic products in the healthcare sector. These plastic polymers have become essential components of the modern healthcare system.
Medical plastics differ significantly in their properties and characteristics. Due to stringent regulatory requirements for medical parts, healthcare engineers are using medical plastic polymers for specific healthcare applications, from surgical instruments to medical supplies.
In most cases, medical plastics used in medical prototypes and parts are designed to have adequate resistance to impact, wear, temperature and corrosion. This allows plastic components to maintain their high performance after the parts have been exposed to repeated sterilization cycles or other bodily or medical fluids that the parts come into contact with during use.
Increasing market demand for medical plastic products
The medical plastics market has progressed. The global market value is expected to reach US$37.2 billion by 2027. Impressive, right? The increasing use of these medical plastics continues to transform the healthcare market. Plastic medical products are replacing medical instruments originally made of ceramic, steel or glass. This is because they are cheaper, more durable, lighter and compatible with different manufacturing processes.
Furthermore, the biocompatibility of medical device plastics with the human bloodstream and their ease of disposal have proven to be a breakthrough in the healthcare industry. And that's largely because medical polymers help contain the spread of infections associated with non-disposable medical products. You will find that many suppliers of high-quality medical plastics benefit from the constant support of the various healthcare sectors around the world due to their extreme importance.
Common Types of Medical Plastics
There are different types of medical plastic polymers, and each type of plastic has different properties that indicate its suitability for specific medical devices. Here are some of the most common medical plastics for medical devices and their properties.
1. Polycarbonates (PC)
As the name suggests, polycarbonates (PC) contain carbonate groups in their chemical structure. These thermoplastic polymers are highly valued and used for their high resistance to impact and heat. They also offer good toughness, UV protection, durability, and electrical and optical properties.
Additionally, polycarbonate sheets are flexible at room temperature or can be processed into various shapes without cracking. Due to their high heat resistance, they do not deform when exposed to high temperatures or steam. For this reason, polycarbonate sheets are widely used by specialists in medical billboards and signage.
2. Polypropylene (PP)
This type of medical plastic is commonly used in many applications where resistance to high temperatures is critical. This is because medical plastic parts made from polypropylene can withstand extreme steam sterilization and have reasonable durability after processing. Furthermore, it is recyclable and more economical than other medical plastic polymers.
The ease of molding polypropylene into different shapes, as well as its resistance to acids, bases and other solvents also contribute to its uniqueness and justify its widespread use. Therefore, most manufacturers use this type of plastic to produce non-absorbable sutures, plastic containers, transparent bags, medicine bottles, disposable syringes, connectors and finger joint prostheses.
3. Polyethylene (PE)
This thermoplastic material is durable, robust, economical and suitable for various plastic processing processes. Its high impact and chemical resistance, as well as low moisture absorption, make it an ideal choice for manufacturing medical devices. Furthermore, it is biologically inert and does not retain harmful organisms.
Polyethylene is widely used in the medical field to create medical implants because it is biocompatible and does not degrade in the body over time. Likewise, medical professionals can subject these parts to various sterilization procedures and highly concentrated cleaning agents.
4. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
This type of plastic is also called PVC plastic. PVC is available in several forms, but thermoplastic types with high heat resistance, corrosion resistance and flame retardant properties remain the most commonly used plastic polymer in the medical industry.
Additionally, this plastic is typically molded to create rigid or flexible medical parts, depending on the amount of plasticizer added to achieve the required hardness. Manufacturers often use PVC to make catheters, feeding tubes, and intravenous bags for nutrients and dialysis fluids.
5. Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)
This plastic, also known as ABS plastic, is a thermoplastic copolymer that serves as an excellent replacement for metal parts of medical devices. ABS plastic is rigid, durable and offers an attractive aesthetic quality, perfect for the medical sector due to its easy colorability. Furthermore, it can undergo various molding processes to produce various medical plastic parts.
Additionally, ABS is resistant to medical sterilization procedures such as gamma irradiation or chemical sterilants such as ethylene oxide (EO). Therefore, ABS plastic sheets are ideal for producing non-absorbable sutures, tendon prostheses, tracheal tubes and other drug delivery systems.
6. Polystyrene (PS)
This plastic material is also used in various medical applications due to its easy sterilization. Its optical properties make it suitable for manufacturing parts such as test tubes, diagnostic instruments, Petri dishes, test kit boxes, tissue culture plates and other medical devices.
7. Polyethylene glycol terephthalate (PETG)
PETG is a transparent, durable, machinable, thermoplastic polymer commonly used for medical applications. Typically, it is ideal for medical use because it can withstand sterilization procedures, including radiation and liquid chemicals, without fading.
PETG is also used to make food containers. Therefore, it is often the ideal choice for plastic containers in the food preparation area of hospitals and clinics. However, in some hospitals it is also possible to find sterilization trays made from PETG.
8. Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)
It is also called acrylic. This plastic material has specific properties similar to glass. This allows medical plastic to reflect and transmit light rays, and this inherent property makes it an excellent choice for creating endoscopic implants.
Essential Properties of Medical Plastic Polymers
There are several types of medical plastics, and the use of each type of plastic is often limited to specific applications due to inherent properties and design factors. The essential properties of medical plastic polymers are biocompatibility and sterilization.
Biocompatibility
This property describes the compatibility of medical plastic polymers with body tissue without any adverse effects. Furthermore, these materials must not release toxins or cause immunological or allergic reactions when in contact with bodily fluids. Therefore, due to their chemical and biological inertness, they do not interact with the body system.
sterilization
The property describes the ability of medical plastic materials to survive sterilization processes. For example, the manufactured plastic medical part must resist potential damage when exposed to sterilization methods such as gamma and UV radiation, autoclave steam, hot air sterilizers, and liquid chemicals.
Below are some other important properties of medical plastic polymers:
- Good mechanical properties (abrasion resistance, impact resistance)
- Thermal stability
- Good optical properties or clarity
- Waterproof
- Chemical resistance
- Good flame retardancy
- Low water absorption
Advantages of medical plastic parts in healthcare
Medical plastic parts offer several benefits to the healthcare industry. Check it out below:
1. Easier Sterilization
Disposing of these disposable instruments after surgical procedures helps control and limit the spread of potentially fatal infections. For example, reusing a catheter is considered unsafe because there is a high probability that some gram-negative bacteria, such as E.coli, will remain in it.
However, there are also reusable medical plastic parts whose surfaces can harbor infectious organisms. Such components must be sterilized quickly and completely to ensure their safe use. The innovation of heat-resistant and biocompatible plastic varieties has helped simplify the sterilization of medical plastic products and repel and eliminate these organisms.
2. Versatility
Medical plastic polymers are used for a variety of healthcare applications. From the beginning, healthcare engineers have used medical plastics to produce disposable medical products such as intravenous tubes and inhalation masks. But recently, medical plastic has been used in many more products.
Medical plastics are now widely used to manufacture other vital materials, from pill shells, implants and catheters to joint replacements or prosthetics for body parts. Today, virtually everything you see in a modern hospital contains plastic in one form or another.
3. Enhanced Security Features
Medical plastics offer an excellent solution for transporting or transferring biohazardous materials because they are waterproof and durable. Safely disposing of this medical waste helps protect the environment from dangerous organisms. Additionally, medical plastics are also used to create tamper-evident lids for medicine containers to ensure optimal patient safety.
4. Better quality of life
Plastic medical parts have helped improve the quality of life for many patients. For example, thanks to the invention of prosthetics made from medical plastics, amputees can now make their lives more pleasant and comfortable. Today, manufacturers injection mold lightweight, durable prosthetics from appropriate types of plastic, improving your mobility, independence, and ability to perform everyday activities.
Additionally, some medical plastic polymers are hypoallergenic. Therefore, a patient with a history of allergies to common materials like latex is less likely to experience an allergic reaction during treatment.
5. Respect for the environment
Many plastics used for medical purposes are recyclable and therefore environmentally friendly. For this reason, most medical professionals find it easier to use plastics for medical applications. At the same time, they are also environmentally friendly due to their easy disposal and good reprocessing properties.
Various applications of plastic in medical products
Medical plastic polymers go through various manufacturing and testing processes before being used in the healthcare sector to produce various medical devices and instruments that meet standard requirements. Below are some of the common medical plastic products:
- Surgical instruments (catheters, cannulas, measuring devices, etc.)
- Seams
- Dental instruments (suction cannulas, perineal clips, cotton roll holders, etc.)
- IV bag
- Disposable items (syringes)
- Sterilization Trays
- Medical implants
- Anesthesia and imaging equipment
- hoses
- prosthetics
- Orthodontics
Get medical-grade plastic parts at WayKen
Medical plastics are increasingly used in various healthcare industries due to their main advantages and potential uses. However, before producing plastic medical parts, manufacturers must examine the suitability of each medical polymer. Regardless, high-quality plastic processing for medical products is essential.
At Wayken, we provide world-class plastic machining and other plastic product manufacturing services to produce all of your medical plastic parts. We are proud of our experienced professionals and committed to manufacturing all types of industrial plastic parts. Also remember that we guarantee high-quality medical parts that meet your needs. Simply upload your CAD files and receive a quote and feedback from DfM!
University Degree
Medical plastics have become a staple in healthcare because they are essential for single use. They prevent the spread of harmful organisms, diseases and biomedical waste. Therefore, these types of high-performance plastics continue to be of interest in several areas of the medical field to produce medical plastic parts that offer specific functional properties and benefits.
Common questions
Which medical plastics are biocompatible?
Typical medical grade plastics are used for biocompatible applications. These include medical polymers made from polyethylene, polycarbonate, polysulfide, polypropylene, polyurethane and polyetheretherketone. Manufacturers subject these plastic materials to rigorous standard testing before they are considered suitable for manufacturing medical devices.
How is medical plastic made?
Plastics used as medical plastics are generally obtained by producing suitable resins using processes that provide the required properties. The most suitable manufacturing processes are blow molding, injection molding and plastic extrusion. The polymer produced generally has high abrasion resistance, tensile strength and corrosion resistance.
What type of plastic is used in surgery?
The most commonly used plastic materials to produce medical plastic products for surgical procedures include polycarbonate, polyethylene, polypropylene, or producing custom grades for specific surgical applications.
