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Medical Uses
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This chapter reviews the diverse uses of plastics in medical devices, covering material properties, regulatory requirements, and key application areas, providing context for concerns about microplastic release from medical equipment.
This chapter discusses the use of plastics in medical devices. It presents properties, requirements, and applications along with a comprehensive overview of the main types of plastics used in medical device applications. Plastics are mainly used in: optical applications, dental applications, orthopedic applications, and surgery. Wearable electronics have received widespread attention in recent years, including electronic contact lenses with electrical components that provide the lenses with an added functionality. Plastic surgery is a field of medicine that focuses on improving the appearance and function of various body parts through surgical procedures. In orthopedics degradable polymeric fixation appliances have been studied to substitute metallic implants, eliminating stress protection and avoiding another implant removal surgery. The oldest and broadest medical application of biodegradable polymers are as sutures. In the field of biomedical applications, plastics are used in self-healing material and drug delivery. Micro- and nanoplastics have effects on human health when disposed of in the environment.
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Medical plastics including bags, containers, and administration sets release micro- and nanoplastics along with chemical additives that can interact with pharmaceutical constituents, creating an understudied route of direct human exposure. Both primary exposure (during medical treatment) and secondary environmental exposure (from hospital plastic waste disposal) represent potential health hazards.
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Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.