Plastics have played a significant role in revolutionizing healthcare. With the advancements in the healthcare industry, plastic has proved to be one of the few versatile materials that has been able to adapt along with the dynamic nature of the industry. Disposable plastic syringes, blood bags, new heart valves, and other medical devices are some of the many ways plastics have been used. Prosthetics is another aspect of healthcare that has seen significant development over the years as a result of the impact of plastics. With plastic prosthetics, doctors are able to provide healthcare solutions with enhanced features and functionality. Following are five ways in which plastics have made healthcare easier, safer, and more cost effective today.
 
1. Sterility
Plastics have been used widely to create medical tools and devices like surgical gloves, syringes, insulin pens, IV tubes, catheters, inflatable splits, etc. Such products are created for one-time use and help prevent the spread of dangerous diseases by eliminating the need to sterilize and re-use a device.
 
Plastic is also being used to create special antimicrobial touch surfaces that can repeal bacteria and other microbes, thus reducing the spread of dangerous diseases. In fact, antimicrobial plastic is known to have an extremely high effectiveness in killing bacteria and is able to eliminate pathogens even when said surfaces aren’t regularly cleaned.
 
2. Enhanced Safety
The durable nature of plastics allows for its application in the creation of medical safety devices, such as tamper-proof caps on medical packaging, blister packs, and various medical waste disposal bags. Plastics are also shatter-proof and thus make for a convenient storage and transportation option. Additionally, plastics can be used to effectively preserve the integrity of other materials, by the use of protective coatings. For instance, plastics are widely used to create non-permeable biohazard bags to transport materials such as medical waste.
 
3. Increased Comfort
Previously, the healthcare industry used metal or metallic medical devices, especially in the field of prosthetics. Now, owning to the durability and versatility of plastic, it is now used as a replacement to such metal components. Plastics not only provide improved comfort but also provide specialized solutions that allow for healthier and normal lives. For example, patients who are allergic to certain metals have benefitted from sterile, hypo-allergenic plastic, which allows for better care and treatment.
 
4. Innovative Applications
Since plastic can be molded per the requirement of a specific application, it is also being used to develop new medical devices. Plastics are now being used in surgical devices and procedures, and products like modern pacemakers, stents, or joint replacement devices due to its ability to adapt to the tiniest and most intricate molds.
 
5. Cost-Effectiveness
Plastics can not only be mass-produced at cost-effective rates, but also allow for a wider range of applications, making it a worthwhile investment. And while metal-based medical devices are prone to wear and tear as well as corrosion, plastic can be treated to withstand such stress and avoid such circumstances. This not only reduces the costs incurred while creating metal devices but also reduces the time and effort that would otherwise go into the upkeep of said metal devices.
 

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Mohan Naik oversees the digital marketing for XL Plastics, a provider of plastic converting machinery. On a mission to help entrepreneurs make a high quality choice that delivers value, Naik efficiently turns technical topics into engaging content that even a layman can comprehend. He stays updated with the latest trends and innovations in the industry and is quick to share that with readers.