A remedy for reusable surgical tools

A safer, single-use solution

Reusable medical instruments come with inherent cleaning and re-sterilization challenges that can put patients at risk. An alternative solution lies within pre-sterilized, single-use surgical tools, which eliminate the need for cleaning and re-sterilization.

Unlike running the fork you used to eat your lunch through the dishwasher, sterilizing a surgical instrument is no simple task. Our polycarbonate materials can be used to make easily molded single-use pre-sterilized devices that eliminate the chance of cleaning errors.

Most traditional surgical tools are made from machined metal. Although metal is strong, there are also disadvantages. First, metal restricts x-ray visibility, meaning it can obstruct bone or screw visibility in orthopedic procedures. Second, as with all reusable tools, there is the possibility of contamination if errors are made during cleaning and re-sterilization. What if there were a better way? With our design and healthcare expertise, along with medical-grade Makrolon® polycarbonates, there is.

Carbon fiber (CF)-reinforced Makrolon® can replace metal or machined carbon-fiber PEEK used in traditional surgical instruments. This means new possibilities for easily molded plastics to produce pre-sterilized, single-use surgical tools with radio-transparent properties and metal-like support.

Radiolucent materials offer better visibility

When you think of the term “blind spot,” you may first think about the car you can’t see when driving down the road. However, surgeons face their own blind spot—their view of a surgical region can be blocked by instruments made of radiopaque materials, such as metals, that restrict x-ray visibility.
 
Injection-molded, inherently radiolucent CF-reinforced Makrolon polycarbonate creates new design options for better visualization. This can translate into less-invasive procedures and with that a speedier recovery—a remedy for patients, practitioners and medical OEMs alike!

Reinforced polycarbonate offers strength

Surgical instruments must meet rigorous strength requirements. CF-reinforced Makrolon polycarbonate offers a very similar mechanical performance to CF-PEEK—but at a fraction of the cost. What’s more, the physical property profile of CF-reinforced Makrolon  even has the potential to replace steel.

Modular design = cost-competitive manufacturing

With the injection molding process, it is possible to create modular designs. This results in a more cost-competitive manufacturing process compared to instruments made from machined laminate.