MEDICAL-GRADE MATERIALS - THE FABRIC OF THE FUTURE

Over the last few years, much of the innovation in the medical device industry has been fueled by advancements in fiber and other textile technologies specifically designed for use inside the human body. These medical textile breakthroughs have supported a broad array of implantable devices ranging from vascular grafts and surgical mesh to heart valve components and orthopaedic sutures to fabric scaffolds designed to aid in tissue engineering. The fabrics these applications are built upon help deliver more life-like products with the potential to perform better, last longer, and increase comfort in the bodyall of which can potentially significantly improve outcomes for patients.

These advantages, along with the growing concerns around more traditional implantable materials such as metal, are causing medical device companies (MDCs) to consider textiles for more device projects than ever before. But as demand for medical textiles grows, so too does the concern about the quality of these materials and the controls implemented by the companies that process them. Many traditional materials developers and textile manufacturers, seeing a promising business opportunity, are attempting to expand into medical textile development and processing, often without the necessary medical focus or expertise.

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This article was originally published in the New Cloth Market, June, 2012.