MEDICAL TEXTILES

• The textile materials and products designed for use in

healthcare, also known as medical Textile.

• Medical Textiles are the textile products for medical

applications include materials as fibres, yarns, woven,
knitted, nonwoven, PTFE felts and mesh etc.

• Combination of Medical sciences and textiles technology

•Meant for converting painful days of patients into

comfortable days
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 .
Fibre used for medical textile are
• Biodegradable--- absorbed by body within 2-
3 months (alginate, chitin, chitosan, collagen, cotton,
viscose, protein fibres)

• Non –degradable---- more than 6 months

(polyamide, PET, PTFE, PP)

• Resorbable--- excreted by the renal system

(PLA-origin is sugar in cornstarch)
 Fundamental requirement of fibre
Selection
• Non toxic
• Non allernenic
• Non carcinogenic
• Should withstand sterellisation condition.
without any physical and chemical changes.
• Bio compatibility (implantable products)
 Consumption: Medical Textiles:

Medical Textile Product Market potential

SR. (Rs Mn)
2005 2010

1 Incontinence diapers 605 1070

2 Surgical dressing 5828 10302
3 Health care textiles 1491 2635
4 Sutures 3160 5587
5 Medical devices & Implants 1190 2104

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Fibres used for medical and healthcare
application
No. Fibre Application in medical field

1 Cotton Surgical clothing gowns, Beddings, Sheets, Pillow

cover, Uniforms, Surgical hosiery
2 Viscose Caps, Masks, Wipes
3 Polyester Gowns, Masks, Surgical cover drapes, Blankets,
Cover stock
4 Polyamide Surgical hosiery
5 Polypropyl Protective clothing
ene
6 Polyethyle Surgical covers, Drapes
ne
7 Glass Caps mask
8 Elastomeric Surgical hosiery
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Specialty fibre for Medical textile
• Chitin and chitosan (Shell of crab, shrank )
• Collagen (Bovine Skin)
• Alginate fibre (Seaweed)
• Catgut (derived from small intestine of sheep or
oxen.. Recent development is sutures with rapid
strength loss)
• Superabsorbent fibre
Alginate Fibre
 Classification of Medical Textiles
(on basis of application area)
1. Non-implantable materials (bandages, plaster,
wound dressing, gauges)

2. Extracorporeal devices (AK, AL, Artificial lung)

3. Implantable materials (suture, soft tissue implant,

Orthopaedic implant, cardiovascular implant)

4. Healthcare and Hygiene products (material for OT,

material for ward)
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1. Non –Implantable Materials
 Ideal dressing is normally expected to:
• Provide barrier against micro-organisms, dirt and
other foreign body.
• Moist environment
• Control exudate
• Be capable of being removed without trauma.

While the bandage

•Act as physical support
• compression bandages are employed for leg ulcer,
varicose veins.
Wound dressing:
Dry Environment

Moist Environment
 2. Extracorporeal devices

• Artificial kidney (cellulose accetate fibre)

• Artificial liver (hollow viscose)

• Mechanical lung (hollow PP)

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Artificial kidney
3. Implantable materials

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 Requirement of Sutures
• Provide Strength and flexibility until wound
healing is over.
• Knot security
• Surface character
• Knot run down
• Dimension varies from 0.01 mm-1mm
• Mono filament or multi filament (better
capillary action).
Cardiac Support
 Soft tissue implant

• For tissue repair – carbon fibre is used

• Strength of fibre is high but very brittle in
nature---coated with PLA.

Tissue Engineering

Textile materials can be used for tissue cultivation

on textile scaffold to desired 2-D or 3-D shape.
Artificial tedons are woven structure or braided
form.- surrounded by silicone sheath.
 Orthopedic implants
• Hard tissue application
• Replacement of bone, joints, fixation plates
• Fibre reinforced composites are used.
Cardiovascular implants

• Woven or knitted
structure
• textured PET , PTFE
yarn allows ease in
bending.
Vascular Graft
 4. Clothing for healthcare

a. Material used for OT (gowns, cap, mask ,

patients drapes)
b. Materials used for hospital ward (bedding,
mattress covers, cloths, wipes.)

70% healthcare products are disposable

30% are reusable.
PVA fibre----dissolved in water at 80 degree C.