Have you ever wondered if there is a use for high performance polyurethane in the field of health, medicine or biotechnology? Well, if not, you should read this article and find out more about their role in terms of biological processes. Firstly, a short definition of this concept could be summarized, mentioning the fact that polymers are one of the concepts that represent a molecular base of the entire meaning of life. Each sector of the human life might include a component polymer. Now, when referring to the health system and everything it includes, especially the medical devices used, consumables or packaging, polymer technology are extremely popular. Read below a series of information related to this topic:
High temperature polymers
High temperature polymers stand out for innovation. In the health system, specialists are in desperate need of a material which can be both used for medical devices without affecting the human body. When exposed to different chemicals, most aggressive, high temperature polymers are lasting three times more than other nylon type would. Exposure to hot air, oil or other harsh environments is not a problem either.
Living tissue and polymer
Why do medicine accentuates the role of polymer technology so badly? The answer is quite simple – polymers are similar in many ways to the actual living tissue that doctors and specialists are working with. If polymers are handled properly, this could be an amazing leap for the entire health system. The power of medicine would grow visibly considering the fact that polymers could replace many structures that are currently unavailable for being used. Since the entire organism and – more specifically, the human body – are rejecting all sorts of materials, is a hostile environment for such changes, it is required to find a material that would be compatible with living tissue, including high temperature polymers. Polymer and any kind of other polyamides are the answer for the current health system.
Revolutionary changes
The first sector that polymers made themselves noticed is implanted. Medical devices and implants, especially, are in need of a material that could be efficiently used without any other repercussions. Since implants are limited by a series of factors that can’t be respected all at once by other materials, polymers do their job perfectly, being biocompatible with any living host environment they are reaching. Innovation (which implies the use of polymers) means new heart valves for people who can’t find a donor, new vascular prostheses, heart peacemakers etc.
Besides the evident use of polymers in terms of implants, there is another thing that makes them indispensiable in the health system – medical devices. Oxygenating blood properly with the help of polymers will be effective without resulting in any kind of blood damage. When long surgeries imply the blood exposure for many hours, it is essential to use high temperature polymers to avoid any unwanted result. Synthetic membranes are used for this purpose. Also, lately researchers developed an artificial kidney which can purify the blood in the human body.