Materials
Stronger Collagen Could Aid in Wound Healing
Like the twisted steel cables of a suspension bridge, the right-handed triple helices of collagen form a scaffold that maintains the body-shape of animals. Synthetic collagen of extraordinary stability has been prepared by using constrained amino acids to preorganize each...
Meeting the Challenge of End-Stage Left Ventricular Failure
Return to Article: Laser Welding to the Rescue   Each year, about 8000 people worldwide are added to lists of heart failure patients waiting for donor hearts. These patients have the most severe form of heart failure—end-stage left...
Laser Welding to the Rescue
Terumo Heart Inc., a medical device subsidiary of Terumo Corp., recently found itself at a crossroads in the production of its left ventricular assist system (LVAS). The company’s new DuraHeart LVAS, designed to provide auxiliary pumping power in patients with late-stage heart...
Firm Earns Honor for Developing Bioactive Polymers
  NEWS TRENDS     A firm that has developed biologically active medical polymers has been named one of Canada's most promising early-stage companies by the National Presidents' Awards program. The program honors outstanding achievements in Canada's medical device and...
Meeting Silicone Adhesion Challenges with Primers
  ADHESIVES   Silicone adhesives, along with primers, flame treatment, or plasma treatment, can be used to adhere low-surface-energy plastics to high-strength metals. For this article, several low-surface-energy plastics and high-strength metals were tested with silicone...
A Premium Blend for Vascular Grafts
  R&D DIGEST   The Bowlin vascular graft shown here measures just 1.5 mm ID. It could one day be used in the hand, ankle, or artery region. Designed for vascular grafts, a new material that degrades in the body may also promote tissue regeneration....
ASTM Creates New Category for Natural-Rubber Latex
  NEWS TRENDS     Guayule and other natural-rubber latices are free of allergenic proteins found in tropical latex. ASTM has created a new category for natural-rubber latex that is based on its protein content. Category 4 of ASTM D1076-06 pertains to...
The Ins and Outs of Silicone Outsourcing
  GUIDE TO OUTSOURCING OEMs often consider silicone because of its bioinertness and biocompatibility. The current trend toward smaller medical devices often requires a very specific material with consistent physical properties. Silicone is often considered...
Resistance and Laser Welding for Medical Devices
METAL WELDING Medical devices use a variety of metal components that are often welded to form a secure and permanent bond. Options available for welding processes are limited because of certain constraints such as part geometry or metallurgy, or requirements such as autogenous...
New Adhesives Stick Out on Skin-Touching Products
COVER STORY: ADHESIVES Fast-cure silicones can be cured with a heat gun like the one shown here. They may be sticky, but adhesives that attach wound dressings and transdermal patches to the skin aren't stuck in the past. New developments abound, resulting in adhesives...