MEDICAL TEXTILES

R.SENTHIL KUMAR & S.SUNDARESAN,

SENIOR LECTURER,
KCT,COIMBATORE-06.
SEN29IIT@YAHOO.CO.IN
 Medical Textiles
Medical textiles are an emerging sector of technical
textiles industry and is fuelled due to constant
improvements in healthcare as well as innovations in
the textile field.

Biomaterials - synthetic or natural which is intended

to interface with biological systems to evaluate, treat,
augment or replace any tissue or organ or function of
the body
Indian medical and healthcare industry
scenario
The healthcare industry in India is growing by 17% per
annum.

The use of disposables such as face mask, surgical head

gears and shoe covers, surgical drapes and gowns is
increasing in private hospitals .

A recent survey conducted by Alhstorm, India, conducted

among private hospitals in and around Chennai found that
the usage of single-use fabrics is high as 40%.
 World Consumption of Medical
Textiles
There is a constant increase in consumption of medical textiles
every five years since 1995 and the trend is expected to grow
enormously by 2010 at a rate of 23%.
2500 2380

1928
2000
1543
1000 Tonnes

1228
1500

1000

500

0
1995 2000 2005 2010
Year

Worldwide Consumption of Medical Textiles -Tonnes

Source: www.davidrigbyassociates.com
• Nonimplantable materials: such as wound dressings,
bandages, plasters, absorbent pads and so on.
• Implantable products: which include sutures,
vascular grafts, artificial ligament, artificial tendon,
artificial skin, scaffolds etc.

• Extracorporeal devices: viz. artificial kidney, artificial

liver etc. and
• Healthcare and hygiene materials: for example
gowns, caps, masks, drapes, uniforms and other
operating room garments, hospital bedding and clothing,
babies’ diapers, incontinence products, feminine hygiene
products etc.
 FIBRES
Degradable Fibres: Absorbed by the body within two to
three months.
Example: Natural fibres such as alginate, chitin,
chitosan, collagen, cotton and viscose.

Non-degradable Fibres: Take more than six months to

degrade and absorbed by the body.
Example: Polyester, polyamide, polypropylene and
polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).
Resorbable Fibres: Fully degradable and completely
absorbed by the body.
Example: Fibres obtained from polydioxanone,
polyglycolic acid and polylactic acid.
• Alginate
• Chitin and Chitosan
• Collagen
• Branan Ferulate
• Superabsorbent Materials
• Carbon
• Resorbable Fibres
 Development in Medical Textiles
Non-implantable medical devices
Fibre Type Fabric Structure Applications

Cotton, viscose, lyocell Nonwoven Absorbent pad

Alginate fibre, chitosan, silk, Woven, nonwoven, Wound-contact layer

viscose, lyocell, cotton knitted

Viscose, lyocell, plastics film Woven, Base material

nonwoven

Cotton, viscose, lyocell, polyamide fibre, elastomeric-fibre yarns Woven, nonwoven, Simple non-elastic and elastic bandages
knitted

Cotton, viscose, lyocell, Woven, nonwoven, High-support bandages

elastomeric-fibre yarns, knitted

Cotton, viscose, lyocell, Woven, Compression bandages

elastomeric-fibre yarns, knitted

Cotton, viscose, lyocell, polyester fibre, polypropylene fibre, Woven, Orthopaedic bandages
polyurethane foam nonwoven

Cotton, viscose, plastics film, polyester fibre, glass fibre, Woven, nonwoven, Plasters
polypropylene fibre, knitted

Cotton, viscose, lyocell, Woven, nonwoven, Gauze dressing

alginate fibre, chitosan knitted

Cotton Woven Lint

Viscose, cotton linters, wood pulp, Nonwoven Wadding

Polylactide fibre, polyglycolide fibre, Spunlaid, needle-punched Scaffold

carbon nonwoven
 Developments in Medical Textiles
Implantable materials
Fibre Type Fabric Structure Application

Collagen, catgut, polyglycolide fibre, polylactide Monofilament, Biodegradable sutures

fibre braided

Polyester fibre, polyamide fibre, PTFE fibre, Monofilament, Non-biodegradable sutures

polypropylene fibre, polyethylene fibre braided

PTFE fibre, polyester fibre, silk, collagen, Woven, Artificial tendon

polyethylene fibre, polyamide fibre braided

Polyester fibre, carbon fibre, collagen Braided Artificial ligament

Low-density polyethylene fibre Artificial cartilage

Chitin Nonwoven Artificial skin

Poly (methyl methacrylate) fibre, - Eye-contact lenses

silicon fibre, collagen, and artificial cornea

Silicone, polyacetyl fibre, polyethylene fibre - Artificial joints/bones

PTFE fibre, polyester fibre Woven, knitted Vascular grafts

Polyester fibre Woven, knitted Heart valves

 Development in Medical
Textiles

Anterior Cruciate ligament - To

replace the damaged knee
ligaments
Artificial tendons are woven or
braided porous meshes or tapes
surrounded by silicone sheath

Vascular grafts in surgery to replace damaged

thick arteries or veins 6mm 8mm or 10 mm
diameter. Produced from polyester or PTFE –
woven or knitted (warp/weft)
 Development in Medical
Textiles
Extra-corporeal
devices
Type Fibre Application Function

Hollow polyester fibre, Artificial kidney Remove waste products

hollow viscose from patients’ blood

Hollow viscose Artificial liver Separate and dispose of patients’

Hollow polypropylene fibre,
hollow silicone membrane
plasma and supply fresh
plasma
Mechanical lung Remove carbon dioxide from
patients’ blood and supply
fresh oxygen
 Development in Medical
Textiles
Healthcare and Hygiene Market
Fibre Type Fabric Structure Application

Cotton, polyester fibre, polypropylene fibre, Woven, nonwoven Surgical gowns

Viscose Nonwoven Surgical caps

Viscose, polyester fibre, glass fibre Nonwoven Surgical masks
Polyester fibre, polyethylene fibre, Woven, nonwoven Surgical drapes, cloths

Cotton, polyester fibre, polyamide fibre, elastomeric- Knitted Surgical hosiery

fibre yarns
Cotton, polyester fibre Woven, knitted Blankets
Cotton Woven Sheets, pillowcases
Cotton, polyester fibre Woven Uniforms
Polyester fibre, polypropylene fibre Nonwoven Protective clothing, incontinence, diaper/sheet,
coverstock
Superabsorbent fibres, Nonwoven Absorbent layer
wood fluff,
Polyetylene fibre, Nonwoven Outer layer
Viscose, lyocell Nonwoven Cloths/wipes
 Wounds

Acute wounds Chronic Wounds

(Take few weeks to heal) (Take several months
to heal)

Inf Healing Process

(O lam e
Ⅰ ha P
s
Phase - Ⅱ
-
Inj ccur ma
se
s e a
Ph led)
ury s im to a -Ⅲ
Ph
) me ry n l
dia P o e
tel ha
ya s Proliferation ti
a r od
fte e r
u s em
r Period t
a sue
(New tissues and M is
Blood vessels formed) (T
• Provides a barrier against microorganisms, dirt

and other foreign bodies.

• Provides a moist environment at the wound
surface.
• Possesses high absorption and retention of
body fluids.

• Nonadherent.
Low-adherent Dressing
Adaptic, Release, Melolin,
Telfa, Skintact, Mepore,
Primapore, Tricotex, NA Ultra, Reduces risk of adherence to wounds.
Jelonet, Paranet, Paratulle, Less trauma
Unitulle, Vasaline gauze,
Inadine, Sofra-Tulle, Silicone
NA, Mepitel, Metalline
Semipermeable Film Dressing Lightly exuding wounds, superficial
Mefilm, Tegaderm, Bioclusive, pressure sores, primary dressing and
Cutifilm, Epi View, Opsite secondary dressing in combination with
Flexigrid, Tegaderm  alginates and hydrogels
Odour Absorbing Dressing
Actisorb Plus, Carbonet, Undesirable odour producing wounds
Kaltocarb, Metrotop, Cliniflex

Hydrogel Dressing Dry and necrotic wounds. Lightly exuding

AquaForm, Sterigel, Purilon Gel, wounds and granulating wounds. Not
Intrasite Gel, Granugel Hydrocolloid suitable for infected and heavily exuding
Gel wounds
Hydrocolloid Dressing
Light to medium exuding wounds. Not
Aquacel, Granuflex, Comfeel,
suitable for infected wounds
Combiderm, Cutinova Foam,
DuoDerm, Tegasorb, Hydrocoll
Polyurethane Foam Dressing
Allevyn, Tielle, Lyoform, Sterigel, Light to medium exuding wounds. Not
Nu-Gel, Purilon Gel, Intrasite Gel, recommended for dry superficial wounds
Granugel, Flexipore, Spyrosorb

Alginate Dressing
Sorbsan, Tegagel, Kaltostat,
Algosteril, Algisite, Algoderm,
Melgisorb, Kaltogel, Tegagel,
Algosteril and Comfeelseasorb
Alginate- Collagen Dressing
Fibracol
Mainly primary dressing for medium to
heavily exuding wounds and cavity
wounds. Not suitable for dry wounds
Suitable for dressing foot ulcers and heel
pressure sore
It prevents the skin sore caused
by unrelieved pressure
It prevents the skin sore caused
by unrelieved pressure
 Summary
Sheer diversity of medical textiles is nothing short of mind
blowing
Wide range of applications: implantable, non-implantable,
extra-corporeal devices and hygiene products
Future potential of medical textiles could well mean unlimited
growth
World market for technical textiles and nonwovens would
increase to 3.8% per annum from 2005 to 2010. By volume it
would reach 23.8mn tonnes with a value of $126bn by 2010.
 Summary
Indian sub-continent is bound to grow at a good pace especially
in the disposables, personal hygiene market and surgical
products
Spunlaid and dry-laid sector constitute a major share of
nonwoven fabric production
Organisations such as EDANA, GHTF, ANFA and BCH are
supporting technical textile industry especially medical and
hygiene sector
Due to increasing need for better quality of life, there is a huge
demand for consumption of nonwovens for medical textiles
which will witness a rapid growth undoubtedly for hygiene
products such as wipes, sanitary napkins, disposables, and
woundcare management.
Thank You