When it comes to the modern medical facility, it's far more common to see plastic furniture and materials rather than the tried-and-true stainless steel of days past. As plastic technology continues to improve and offer a greater number of product choices to today's medical equipment and furniture manufacturer, the industry is changing. Here are some ways that plastics are changing the modern medical industry.
More Lightweight and Effective Prosthetics and Orthotics
For individuals who have lost a limb, a prosthetic limb can be a lifesaver. Yet a bulky and heavy limb is not a benefit at all. With the advent of modern plastics, including lightweight options like polymer polypropylene and Kydex sheet, modern prosthetics are becoming increasingly lightweight. In addition, orthotics, such as back braces and supports for limbs, can easily be molded to the patient's exact needs with plastic materials. Even shoe inserts prescribed by podiatrists to improve abnormal walking behavior or foot pain, increasingly rely on the benefits of plastic.
Lightweight, Easy-to-Sanitize Surfaces
The medical facilities are also seeing a shift in dependence on heavy materials in favor of dependence on plastics. Polypropylene and polycarbonate, for example, can be used to create furniture and sterilization trays that are easy to sanitize. These plastic products hold up well in high-stress environments and are resistant to damage from the heat and steam needed to sterilize equipment. They can be made clear, which is important for sterilization trays, incubators, bassinets and similar hospital equipment, without the dangers of glass. Even medical equipment, with everything from MRI machines to endoscopic probes, is now manufactured with plastics, which are proving to be a better option for both safety and sterilization reasons.
Lightweight plastics are taking over the medical industry, and Piedmont Plastics is at the heart of it all. With a large inventory of medical grade plastic materials that stand up to both FDA and USP Class VI requirements, Piedmont Plastics has the materials that manufacturers need to create modern medical equipment. Because Piedmont Plastics offers batch traceability, buyers can be confident that the materials they purchase are ready to meet their needs well.