PVC disposables - a hygienic revolution
Towards the end of the 1950s PVC emerged in healthcare
products. Primarily because PVC enabled the manufacturers to make products of a
far higher quality than before, but also because the material was so cheap that
it became possible to make medical devices for single use.
The disposables revolutionised the hygienic standards of the
healthcare sector. Because the products were used only once, potential
infections were avoided. These might occur when glass, metal or rubber products
were cleaned and reused. Moreover, the disposables were expedient both in terms
of cost in use and working environment in the hospitals, as resources were no
longer needed for cleaning, sterilisation, etc.
PVC means safety and quality of life
Patient safety and quality of life should be optimal,
therefore the choice of material is vital.
Flexible tubes allow free passage
If a catheter tube is to pass through all the bends of the
human body, it needs to be both soft and flexible. A tube for e.g. emptying the
stomach must not kink when bent, because there will otherwise be a risk of
insufficient passage. If the emptying process is not optimal, serious injury may
be caused to the patient, as vomiting or, at worst, suffocation may result.
Smooth surface prevents infection
The surface of a catheter tube must be smooth to ensure easy
and effortless insertion and removal. If the tube surface is rough, there is a
risk of damaging the mucous membrane and the risk of infection will increase
considerably.
The advantages of using PVC for certain types of
medical disposables by far outweigh the possible risks involved in using
the material.
Based on all available knowledge from national and
international environmental and healthcare authorities, PVC is, the only
material existing today which meets all the requirements made regarding
safety and cost in use.
The information about "PVC in the Healthcare Sector " is
abstracted from the web site of the Danish Association DMDA, www.dmda.dk
|
Bags should be odour-proof and noiseless
Ostomists have had their intestine re-routed to an outlet on
the stomach, where their faeces are collected in a bag attached to the stomach.
It is vital that this bag will cause neither noise nor odour problems. As the
bags are in contact with the skin day and night, they must also be both soft and
comfortable to wear.
PVC is the only material meeting all these requirements
It is important that the medical disposables do not cause allergy or toxic
reactions in the patients. Disposables must also have a certain strength to
withstand sterilisation without their properties being affected. In order to
ensure safe connections the material must also be processible by welding or
glueing, and finally the manufacturing costs must be low.
At present, PVC is the only available material in the market
meeting all the requirements made on certain medical disposables.
Reuse of medical disposables
It could be tempting to reuse the medical disposables and
thereby reduce the amount of waste sent for destruction. The reuse of
disposables is, however, strongly advised against for various reasons.
Firstly, it will not always be possible to clean medical
devices thoroughly after use. This means that reusing them involves the risk of
transmitting diseases from one patient to another. Secondly, it is not possible
to re-sterilise the disposables without their quality being affected.
Although it is not recommended to reuse the medical
disposables in general, it is no established fact that we should, for sanitary
reasons, continue to incinerate disposable devices forever. Thus, in Germany
efforts are being made to find a method for converting the disposables into
plastic raw materials which may in turn be used in the manufacturing of other
products.
* Colorectal cancer is the most common cause of ostomy
surgery. The affected part of the colon is removed and the remaining
intestine is re-routed to an opening on the stomach (the stoma). Faeces
must now be collected in an ostomy bag attached to the stomach. The bag
should be tight and secure in use, it should be odour-proof, discreet and
noiseless. Finally, it should be comfortable and soft, as it will be in
contact with skin up to 24 hours per day. Today, PVC is the only material
which meets all these requirements and can help the patient live a normal
and active life.
* Inserting a tube is very unpleasant for the child,
as it is inserted through the nose into the stomach and will pass the
throat. In order to avoid bothering the child with repeated insertion, the
tube is left for the longest possible period. To be left there for long,
the tube must be able to withstand the chemical impact of the stomach
juices without its properties changing. Besides, the tube must have a
smooth surface, be soft, comfortable and kinkfree. These properties are
desirable firstly to reduce the inconvenience caused by the insertion of
the tube, and secondly to reduce the risk of tissue damage. If the tubes
are required to be economical in use, too, these properties can only be
secured by using PVC.
* Urine bags are mainly used by elderly people who are
unable to control their bladder muscles and by younger men whose nerve
paths from e.g. the bladder muscles to the brain have been damaged in an
accident. They use a urisheath or a catheter and a urine bag to collect
the urine. It is vital that the bag is tight, odour-proof, noiseless and
that it is soft and comfortable to wear. The tube must be able to
withstand being bent and twisted without kinking, thus blocking the urine
flow. The tube must also be skin-friendly, as it will be in constant touch
with the leg. Today, PVC is the only material which meets all these
requirements and is at the same time an economical solution for the users.
* Accumulation of secretions in the air passage may
have various causes. It is a serious condition if the patient is unable to
cough up the secretions. In such a situation, it is necessary to remove
any excess secretions with a suction catheter. This is a procedure which
is very unpleasant to the patient, as it feels like suffocation.
* Owing to the inability of the patient to maintain normal breath
during suction, the procedure must be completed in 20 seconds and must
cause no damage to the passage of air. Therefore the catheter must have a
smooth surface and be soft, comfortable and kinkfree during use. These
requirements are only met when using PVC..
|
|
