While plastic has a negative reputation in general, it has revolutionised healthcare, particularly since the 1960s, when the largescale introduction of plastic-based devices improved life for patients and health workers alike.
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From syringes and blood bags to prosthetics and heart valves, plastic has become the preferred material for many medical applications, transforming treatments and making massive strides forward.
We're all familiar with the environmental issues caused by plastic waste being dumped in the world's oceans, but to the medical industry, it's a convenient way of providing treatment and devices. It can be mass produced at a lower cost than alternative materials, making it the economical choice for the health service.
Weighing significantly less than ceramic, metal and glass items, it's cheaper to transport - and as affordability is an important factor for most nations, plastic ticks all the boxes when it comes to medical applications.
Prime examples of its usefulness include 99% of bespoke hearing aids being made from plastic, while UK dentists are initiating 2,400 new plastic aligners every month for patients to replace traditional metal braces.
How is plastic used in the medical field?
Plastic is commonly used for single-use items that must be disposed of afterwards for hygiene reasons - the most cost-effective solution for these applications, as throwing away certain medical devices is safer than sanitising them to reuse. For example, it isn’t safe to reuse a catheter, as it can become contaminated with E Coli bacteria, no matter what type of sanitation is applied.
Other single-use items that depend on plastic include syringes, some tubes, lancets, gloves, dressings and more. Medical research also relies on plastic for sample bags and vials.
As the go-to material for sterile packaging, plastic is also used for items such as needles or medication to prevent cross-contamination. Pouches made from plastic can be sealed to keep single-use items sterile, while plastic bottles and containers protect medicines from humidity, UV rays and other potentially harmful elements.
Medical tubing
Plastic medical tubing has multiple uses in healthcare settings, such as for the drainage of fluids and in catheters, respiratory equipment, pumps, pharmaceutical equipment and more. Its flexibility and durability make it ideal for medical tubes, some of which are for single-use only, while others can be reused.
The affordability of plastic makes it ideal for medical tubing, as it can be replaced inexpensively when required.
Wound dressings
Plastic is used in the manufacture of various types of wound dressings, including sutures and bandages, after medical staples and glue have been applied to close wounds.
Thanks to its tensile strength, it is a favoured option, as it is also unlikely to develop bacteria.
Plastic bags
Medical plastic can be used for all kinds of bags in the healthcare sector, including intravenous blood bags and IV bags. A safe material for storing different kinds of fluids, it will also keep other liquids in a stable state.
A cost-effective solution for items that must be thrown away after use due to having stored blood and other fluids; high-grade plastic refuse bags are also used for medical waste to ensure it is disposed of safely.
Plastic storage box
High quality plastic storage boxes have many uses in the healthcare sector, including safely storing prepared slides for analysis and research in the laboratory. Offering a systematic means of organising the slides, this makes it easier to retrieve them quickly, as they can be categorised by date, type, patient names or studies to improve the workflow.
Plastic storage bins and boxes also have many more medical uses such as for patient records, crash cart boxes, medicine boxes, refrigerator boxes, specialised bins, shelf caddies, refuse bins and medical supplies transfer boxes.
Orthodontics
The flexibility and durability of plastic makes it an ideal choice for dentistry applications, as it can be used by orthodontists to make retainers, braces and aligners. It can be adapted to the unique needs of the individual patient, moulding to the shape and size of their mouth, teeth and gums to create a perfect fit.
In dentistry, 3D printing is increasingly used to create comfortable and less visible clear plastic teeth aligners, which means patients no longer have to wear traditional wire braces.
Today, an estimated four million patients globally wear 3D plastic aligners, with the market estimated to be worth more than £4.3 billion, representing a significant growth of more than 20% per year.
Research suggests the UK has cornered 3% of the worldwide plastic aligner market, with dentists initiating more than 2,400 clear aligner solutions each month.
Implants
A common medical-grade plastic, polyethylene is used for various types of implants, as it’s lightweight, durable and doesn’t deteriorate over time. Incredibly cost-effective, it is used to make heart valves, hip replacements, knee replacements and surgical facial augmentation implants.
Prosthetics
Prosthetics use plastics to make artificial limbs, as it is the best material to create lightweight and comfortable limbs for patients.
Polypropylene is easy to work with and can be moulded into the best bespoke shapes. This creates prosthetic limbs that have a wide range of movement, improving the quality of life for the patient.
Research has suggested the cost of making one plastic socket from recycled plastics could be as little as £10, compared with a hefty £5,000 in years gone by, before the advent of plastic prosthetics. This could make it possible for patients in developing nations to benefit from plastic artificial limbs in future - a technology that would otherwise be unaffordable.
Hearing aids
New technologies such as 3D printing are also making the best use of plastics, with about 99% of customised hearing aids being created by 3D printing with acrylic resin, making the design possibilities almost endless.
Plastic is a material that can be moulded easily, so the hearing aid can have a wide range of sizes and shapes, fitting just about every ear comfortably.
Prior to 3D printed hearing aids, the choice of materials was mainly titanium, stainless steel or gold. This could impact the device's performance, as its longevity would depend on how quickly it corroded. It could also be uncomfortable for the user.
What plastics are used in the medical industry?
The medical sector uses various medical-grade plastics.
Commonly used because it provides excellent UV protection, polycarbonate is easy to sanitise and doesn’t bend out of shape if exposed to steam or high temperatures. It is often used to make panels and signage in health buildings.
Impact and corrosion-resistant polypropylene is more durable than many other plastics, so it’s used in prosthetics and orthodontics. It is particularly useful for weight bearing prosthetics due to its strength.
ABS plastic sheets, made from acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, are tough and durable, creating an aesthetically clean appearance for all medical environments.
PETG or polyethylene terephthalate glycol is safe when in contact with food, so it’s frequently used in areas of hospitals and clinics where food is prepared. Sterilisation trays in other areas are often made from PETG.
Plastic has become indispensable in the medical industry. In the UK, the NHS alone uses a total of 133,000 tonnes of plastics annually over all its applications. Around 30% of materials used in anaesthetic and intensive care environments are plastics of some type, according to data from the academic study, Plastics in Healthcare, published in the National Library of Medicine.
Plastics continue to change the world and we mean that in a good way. We simply couldn’t enjoy medical care to the standards we expect without plastics and it’s as simple as that!