There can be no doubt that medical advances have progressed extremely rapidly in the last century. We are now living longer and receiving far better medical care than at any previous point in our history. One material that helped to change the face of modern medical care is silicone. This is one of most thoroughly bio-tested materials and is used in the production of medical devices including urological catheters, surgical incision drains and respiratory devices, as well as making up parts of many other devices such as valves. The make-up of different silicones’ biocompatibility and bio durability make them an excellent material choice for applications that come into direct contact with the human body.
Silicone rubbers and elastomers are used to create various parts of tubing. Silicone is also used as a coating on syringes and vials to provide lubrication. Needles are coated in a fine layer if silicone to make them less painful for patients. Thank you, silicone rubber! When caring for wounds, silicones are used in gentle adhesives for dressings and scar management products. For Silicone Hose Manufacturers, visit https://www.goodflexrubber.com/pages/silicone-hose-manufacturer
Performance is absolutely crucial when it comes to health and patient lives. A difficult challenge in medical environments is to have a material tough enough to withstand challenges like heat, pressure, and chemical exposure while, at the same time, being comfortable enough for actual physical contact with a patient. There aren’t many materials that tick all the boxes but liquid silicone rubber can!
The characteristic of silicones makes them ideal for many medical applications since after being treated, they are no longer adversely affected by high heat and can be safely sterilized with heat or radiation. In addition, they are not reactive to most chemical agents and can be sterilized chemically or used to safely deliver a variety of liquids or gases. Liquid silicone rubber is also safe for medical applications which result in contact with skin. It is stable and water repellent. It is also nonallergenic, so skin is not agitated by the plastic. It is hygienic, resisting the growth of bacteria and fungi, and the softness and flexibility of the material helps ensure patient comfort while its water-repellent nature prevents it from sticking to wounds.
Silicone can tolerate very high temperatures and also remains flexible at low temperatures. In addition to tolerating heat, LSR stays flexible at very low temperatures. The material handles well against UV radiation and the stability of the cured material enables moulded parts to have a very long shelf life.
A great many uses
It’s flexibility makes it a good choice for use in caps, gaskets and plungers, particularly in areas where it needs to be reusable and heated sterilization. Its strength, durability and comfortable feel makes it useful for hand grips on a variety of devices. It has clear advantages for being applied in reusable components and devices but it is also increasingly being used for disposable medical equipment. As science continues to march on, new and innovative ways to use silicone is being found all the time.
