Why Resins are Becoming Integral to Healthcare Industry

Samrat Pradhan

Owing to the durability and cost-effectiveness of plastic materials, equipment made out of ceramics, steel and glass are being increasingly replaced by plastic materials. Arguably, without the use of plastic, modern healthcare would not be possible; right from the smallest tubing, to the MRI machines disposable syringes, intravenous blood bags, heart valves etc. Due to the rise in manufacturing activities, emerging economies, including India, are expected to witness a huge growth of medical devices. As resins have had many uses during the course of mankind, today, they are increasingly getting adapted to the development of medical devices. The growing demand for robust health care facilities and also the rising number of hospitals has been further driving demand for medical resins. Today, the resin products are extremely useful in reusable and disposable medical devices.

Furthermore, the characteristics of the plastics used define the medical device performance; patient safety is determined by the strength, flexibility, transparency, biocompatibility, temperature and chemical resistance of the properties in the plastic. And to meet ever-growing demand for medical supplies and parts, plastics manufacturers, molders and suppliers are on the front line making sure the highest quality materials are being used. Hence, today it is imperative to select the perfect-fit resin when introducing a new product into the market or improving the integrity of an existing medical device.

Hence, making selection of resin one of the most critical considerations of the entire process right from design considerations to final product; resin selection affects every factor in developing a robust medical device. As overwhelming as it can be to select the best-fit resin, it will be a habit to consider and address various devices to eliminate the wrong resin. The testing can be performed to determine the best resin for the device once the ideal resin candidates have been identified. This consideration will help in removing an entire group of plastics which is not suitable for a particular medical device production.

Some of the factors while considering resins for medical devices are as follows:

● The strength of the device is a key consideration. Its purpose, the environment it will work and the service life determines the overall strength of a medical device. A subject matter expert in engineering grade resins can considerably help in selecting the right resin for the medical device.

● It will be more challenging to mold if the geometry of a medical device is complex. Hence, the plastic molder must receive drawings and/or a 3D printed model early in the process so as to modify the design as needed as per its objectives. To ensure medical device integrity, all resins must seamlessly mate and bond with each other if a medical device will require overmolding.

● Today, nearly anything metal can be made plastic without losing any of its integrity due to the advancements in engineered resins. As contemporary plastics are replacing outdated metal devices, it is important to discuss metal device replacements with your plastic molder early in the process.

● Due to the price-competitiveness, considering best resin at the best value for the medical device’s intended purpose and environment it’s very important especially in the Indian market. It is best to notify the plastic molder of this right away to come off with the most cost-effective priced products.

● As resins with chemical resistant properties are the best for medical devices that are designed for reuse, one should understand that the medical devices that are designed for one time use might not require a resin with chemical-resistant characteristics.

● Another major factor to consider during the resin selection process is to check whether the device will be in direct human contact or might be implanted in humans. One must ensure that FDA-compliant resins which are biocompatible are used, when implanted or in direct contact with humans.

● Another factor would be whether the medical components will be in contact with bodily fluids / tissues or not. If it is so, it must be biocompatible. If not checked, it might result in material degradation and cause irritation, inflammation, acute toxicity, sub-chronic toxicity to humans.

Advantages of Utilizing Resins in Healthcare Industry

Classified into groups called biomaterials, resins are often made into polymer plastics or adhesives. Since the 1930s, biomaterials have been used for a wide range of medical and dental applications. Biomaterials are non-toxic, biocompatible, highly flexible and adaptable due to components such as polymers made from resins. They don’t cause any harm, irritation to the human body. Thus, making it and making biomaterials an ideal substance for the production of medical devices.

Biomaterials made out of resins

There are various usages of resins in the healthcare sector, including cardiovascular medical devices, such as stents and grafts, orthopaedic and dental applications, implants and tissue engineered scaffolds, ophthalmologic applications, contact lenses and retinal prostheses, burn dressings and skin substitutes, bioelectrodes and biosensors, sutures, drug delivery systems, excipients, tooth crowns and root replacements, among others. Furthermore, biomaterials made out of resins are also used in contact lenses, inlays or onlays, viscosurgical devices, glaucoma shunt surgery and vitreous replacements.

Also, heart valves, endovascular stents, vascular grafts, stent grafts and other cardiovascular grafts are common medical devices in cardiovascular applications. Moreover, the biodegradable polymers also help to structure natural growth and healing after the tissue has been damaged, wherein, there are various types of ‘scaffold fabrication’ methods used in tissue engineering; helping in regenerating the tissue as biomaterials are highly porous with the body’s cells.

Resin 3D-printing

Today, resin 3D-printing is also getting traction in the medical and healthcare field due to the various benefits that it offers. As the medical industry is already converting X-ray scans into 3D models, these models can be 3D-printed pre-surgery models so as to be used in complex cases. This helps in understanding and practicing the procedure. Moreover, it also ensures that future complications and over engineering is controlled. Often 3D-printed in Liqcreate Premium White resin is used to make identical models that can be used by medical students to practice surgeries. And, by printing parts that are in shortage, like ventilator valves, parts for masks and test swabs, another wide-spread use of 3D-printing is to help in the fight of COVID-19.

Dental restorative materials

Resins are also used in replacing a decayed portion of tooth structure and it is called dental composite resin. As opposed to the conventional dental amalgam, the main advantage is its aesthetic appearance. Typically, it is composed of a resin-based matrix, such as bisphenol A-glycidyl methacrylate and inorganic filler like silica, wherein, the filler offers the composite with improved translucency, mechanical property, and wear resistance.

It is the multifarious applications of resins in healthcare industry that are making it an essential raw material to be used in medical devices and equipment. At its current speed, the market is going to expand to different segments in healthcare finding new applications.