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Fantastic Plastic
After more than 100 years of existence, plastics are ubiquitous.
From catheters to computers, plastic has come a long way, and it
continues to bend, stretch, and reshape itself in exciting ways,
especially in the medical device industry.
 The first manmade plastic was
unveiled by Alexander Parkes at the 1862 Great International
Exhibition in London. This organic material, which the public dubbed
Parkesine, was derived from cellulose and could be heated, molded,
then cooled while retaining the new shape. However, the costs
involved in producing Parkesine were too high for investors, so the
idea was dropped.
You can't stop progress, though. Over the next 50 years, plastics
research gained in popularity. The year 1907 saw the development of
Bakelite, a liquid resin that rapidly hardened, was heat-resistant,
and shatterproof. In the 1930s, Wallace Hume Carothers, head of the
DuPont laboratory, figured out that the structure of plastic could
be manipulated by substituting and inserting different elements into
the chemical chain. As a result, his research team invented
neoprene, nylon, and polyester.
It hasn't been all nylon stockings and toothbrushes, however-the medical applications for plastic have proved
to be phenomenal. Over the last 30 years, MIT bioengineer Robert
Langer has filed 500 patents related to polymers and their use in
treating disease. Langer's first invention was a polymer that would
allow the timed release of large protein molecules for treating
tumors. His findings led to the launch of controlled drug release,
currently a multibillion-dollar industry. He's since created
biodegradable rubber. His work in tissue engineering and organ
regeneration entails the use of plastics in encouraging tissue
growth. His recent research on biocompatible shape-memory polymers
is particularly exciting. Not only has Langer come up with polymers
that change shape in response to changes in temperature, but he's
also engineered a polymer that shape-shifts when exposed to light.
The possible medical uses of this technology are being explored by a
German manufacturer.
Plastics also play a starring role in medical implant technology.
Researchers at Northwestern University have designed a polymer-based
adhesive coating that prevents cell and protein buildup on medical
implants. Bacteria, cells, and proteins in the body gradually build
up on certain types of implants. This process, known as fouling,
causes the implant to lose effectiveness and poses a risk of
infection. Finding a biocompatible polymer that would reduce the
buildup had proven unsuccessful in the past. But by combining the
durability of a synthetic peptoid polymer with that of an
antifouling polymer, the researchers created a coating that provided
effective fouling resistance for more than five months. Using this
new polymer-based coating, the lifespan of devices such as urinary
catheters, cardiovascular stents, and biosensors could be extended.
I could go on, but you get the point. As engineers and
researchers continue to search for new applications for plastics,
we'll continue to see medical devices taking advantage of the latest
polymer and plastics technology.
Corinne Litchfield
Associate Editor,
MPMN
Products from the MPMN Mailbox
The editors of MPMN receive hundreds of press releases on
medical device components each week. Read on for what we thought
were the most eye-catching products and services that have recently
come across our desk.
Electromedical Safety Tester
Dispensing Diaphragm Valve
Precision Custom and Standard Parts
Submersible Transducer Vent Filter
dc/dc Converters
Sneak Peek: Medical Design Excellence Awards
So you want to win next year? Read more...
Read profiles of the MDEA winners in the May 2005 issue of
MPMN.
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