Today’s medical industry could not exist without rubber and rubber-like products and components.
Rubber is used to make hundreds of medical products used including surgical gloves, stoppers, condoms, breathing bags, cushioning or support materials, prosthetics, implants and catheters.
Many medical devices are invasive, from probing human body to combating disease and repairing damage. Implantable devices like arterial stints, health valves and pacemakers are designed to remain inside the body long term.
Medical-grade products and component must have strong biocompatibility, superior temperature tolerances and long-term chemical resistance. These products also be produced in a contamination-free environment.
Typical rubber products in the medical industry include:
- Surgical Gloves: Features might include ultra-sensitivity, extra flexibility, and maximum strength
- Medical Masks: Most breathing masks are manufactured using natural rubber or silicone rubber
- Tubes for Infusion and Transfusion: Usually made of synthetic rubber
- Birth Control Products: Condoms, diaphragms, and cervical caps
- Rubber Catheters: Silicone catheters are often used because they are more resistant to bacterial colonization
- Bulb Syringe: A syringe with a hollow rubber bulb and a cannula.
- Rubber bladders: Such as a typical blood pressure monitor with a rubber bladder that is squeezed to build air pressure.
Rubber components are also critical in the production of more complicated medical equipment, including electrotherapy machines, X-Ray systems, digital imaging equipment, cold laser equipment, cardiology equipment, and physical therapy electronics.
Types of rubber used in making medical products and complements are quite extensive and include:
- Natural Rubber
- Butadiene
- Butyl
- EPDM
- Fluoroelastomers
- Viton
- Isoprene Rubber
- Nitrile
- Silicone
- Styrene Butadiene
TMI has the technology and expertise to deliver the high grade medical products and components that meet or exceed the most stringent medical industry standards. Contact TMI for a consultation on how we can meet your custom needs.