Medical textiles

Global advanced wound dressings market to exceed US$3.5 billion by 2021

27 May 2015

Advanced wound dressings will generate global annual revenues of US$3.51 billion by 2021, up from US$2.87 billion in 2014, according to the latest study.

Active barrier for operating room staff

1 April 2015

Vestagen Technical Textiles has launched specially designed scrubs for operating room (OR) staff made with its Vestex active barrier textile technology.

Non-stick multilayer wound dressing

31 March 2015

A multilayer wound dressing with improved non-adhesion characteristics has been developed by International Business Machines (IBM).

Antioxidant and antimicrobial dressing materials

31 March 2015

Improved antioxidant and antimicrobial wound dressing materials containing light-stabilized silver compounds are disclosed in US Patent 8 962 908 by Systagenix Wound Management (US) Inc of San An

Strong suture with absorbable core

31 March 2015

DePuy Mitek has developed a strong surgical suture with both bio-absorbable and non-absorbable components. The suture is intended to be used in conjunction with suture anchors to repair soft tissu

Knitted sleeves for amputees

1 March 2015

UK researchers have successfully completed the first phase of a project to develop knitted sleeves designed to increase the comfort of amputees who wear prosthetic limbs.

Silicone adhesives for woundcare

1 March 2015

A range of soft silicone adhesives (Silbione) designed to fix wound- and skincare products, transdermal patches and wearable devices to the skin has been extended by Bluestar Silicones.

Surgical repairs with high performance polyethylene filaments

1 February 2015

A range of textiles made from ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) filaments and designed for use in surgical repairs is described in US Patent 8 845 660.

Balloon catheter mesh

1 January 2015

A mesh for the resecting surface of a balloon catheter is disclosed in US Patent 8 864 762 by Sanovas.

Absorbent article with heat-absorbing material

1 January 2015

An absorbent article and sanitary napkin capable of suppressing stuffiness that a wearer feels when a body fluid such as menstrual blood is excreted has been developed by Unicharm of Tokyo, Japan.

Knitted mesh for tissue repairs

1 December 2014

A method for making a knitted mesh suitable for tissue repair has been developed by Allergan.

Biodegradable elastic textile made from a single material for tissue growth

1 December 2014

Researchers in Germany have succeeded in making biodegradable, mechanically stable and elastic flocks for use as scaffolds in tissue growth.

Dressing for the controlled release of therapeutic agents

1 December 2014

A wound dressing for the controlled release of therapeutic agents is disclosed in US Patent 8 858 987 by Systagenix Wound Management.

Comfort and protection for surgeons

1 October 2014

Kimberly-Clark Health Care of Roswell, Georgia, USA, has introduced a range of lightweight surgical gowns (Aero Blue) designed to protect the wearer from exposure to bodily fluids.

Implants based on alginate for use in woundcare

1 September 2014

An alginate implant colonized with stem cells for use in autologous soft-tissue replacement has won the recognition of the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Wundheilung und Wundbehandlung eV (DGfW; German Wou

Technical textiles at the vanguard of 21st century medicine

From three-dimensional scaffolds for culturing cells to high-quality filters that can effectively remove blood group-specific antibodies, nonwovens and technical textiles are important materials in modern medicine, writes Adrian Wilson.

German project aims to create an artificial womb for premature babies

1 July 2014

An ambitious research project in Germany is seeking to create an artificial womb made from smart textiles that will provide sensory therapy for prematurely born babies.

Barrier fabrics to wrap surgical instruments

1 July 2014

Ahlstrom of Helsinki, Finland, has added several fabrics to its range of sterile barrier systems (Ahlstrom Reliance Tandem).

Alcohol-free disinfectant wipe

1 April 2014

A nonwoven wipe that disinfects surfaces without the need for alcohols or quaternary ammonium cations (QACs), which can cause severe health problems, has been nominated for an Index14 Excellence in th

Textile engineering in biomedical and healthcare applications

1 December 2013

Vicky Sung attended the Second International Textile Bioengineering and Informatics Symposium in Hong Kong where she heard about the importance of a multi disciplinary approach across the whole supply

Aligned polyurethane nanofibres aid wound healing

1 October 2013

Researchers in China have made a membrane of aligned polyurethane (PU) nanofibres and tested its efficacy for accelerating the healing of wounds.

Fabric helps to prevent bedsores

1 July 2013

By successfully transferring fabric technology originally conceived for functional sportswear, Schoeller Medical of Sevelen, Switzerland, has made a bedsheet that helps to prevent long-term hospital p

Dope-dyed viscose fibre for medical plasters and bandages

1 July 2013

The use of a dope-dyed viscose fibre with a flesh tone significantly reduces the amounts of water, dyes and salts needed to create a fabric for bandages and for backing medical plasters, compared with

Activated carbon cloth shows benefits in woundcare

1 July 2013

Applying dressings made from activated carbon cloth (Zorflex from Chemviron Carbon Cloth Division of Houghton-le-Spring, UK) to non-healing chronic wounds has led to significant improvements in patien

Ahlstrom's latest technology expands its range of sterile barriers

1 June 2013

Ahlstrom from Helsinki, Finland, has expanded its range of sterile barrier systems (SBS) with the addition of spunbond-meltblown-spunbond (SMS) nonwovens, the latest technology in its portfolio.

Textile strain-gauge sensor integrated in medical stockings

1 April 2013

A stocking with integrated sensors that monitor the retention of fluid in the legs could help patients at risk from heart failure and pregnant women prone to preeclampsia, according to the Danish comp

Antimicrobial sewing thread

1 February 2013

Industrial thread specialist Coats of Uxbridge, UK, now has a range of antimicrobial sewing threads designed to inhibit the growth of microbes and bacteria around seams.

Antimicrobials enlisted in the battle against nosocomial infections

Clinical trials of textile surfaces treated with an antimicrobial agent have shown the technology to be effective in real-life conditions and that it could play an important part in the battle against nosocomial infections, according to Alain Langerock.

Electrospun fibres make biomedical coatings that can be thermally sterilized

1 November 2012

The preparation of a network of electrospun fibres that are deposited as a coating and the various biomedical applications of such a coating are the subject of European Patent EP 2 503 033.

Solvay and Secant Medical announce marketing partnership

1 August 2011

Solvay Advanced Polymers and Secant Medical, both of the USA, have formed a marketing partnership to promote the development and production of implantable biomedical fabric structures made of Zeniva P

Polyether ether ketone fabrics to be developed for medical implants

1 July 2011

Medical fabrics made from a polyether ether ketone (PEEK) fibre will be marketed jointly by Solvay Advanced Polymers LLC and Secant Medical LLC.

Growth-stimulating dressings with improved contact surfaces

1 July 2011

A contact device for use in a wound dressing is disclosed in US Patent 7 951 124 by Boehringer Technologies.

Flame-retardant knit for operating theatre garments

1 May 2011

A flame-retardant knit made from aramid and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) yarns will be launched at Techtextil (Frankfurt, Germany, 24-26 May 2011; Hall 3.1 E31) by Christian Eschler AG of Buehler, S

Strong monofilament suture yarn

1 May 2011

DSM has developed a monofilament yarn of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) for use in medical applications such as sutures.

Medical textiles primed to grow with Indian healthcare boom

1 February 2011

Foreign investment, Indian Government incentives and a growing degree of sophistication in the provision of healthcare are creating a favourable market for manufacturers and suppliers of medical texti

Polyurethane foams for wounds

1 December 2010

Bayer MaterialScience claims its latest range of raw materials for functional medical wound dressings not only help wounds to heal but also make innovative designs possible.

A light weight, washable and comfortable pneumatic cast

1 December 2010

Fawzy Sherif and Hartmut Roedel reveal how they have applied textiles to make an innovative pneumatic cast for hand radius fractures that is light weight, washable, comfortable, easy to use and suitab

Warp-knitted fabrics suitable for leased garments

1 May 2010

Research conducted at the Hohenstein Institute in Bonnigheim, Germany, has led to the development of warp-knitted fabrics suitable for making garments for healthcare workers.

Effective removal of residual spin solvent from gel-spun fibres

1 March 2010

Applying tension to a filament of gel-spun ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) during the removal of residual spin solvent produces a textile that is more suitable for use in medical app

Endothermic reaction cools bandage for rapid therapy

1 December 2009

A USA-based inventor has proposed a bandage that is subject to an endothermic reaction as it is withdrawn from its container so allowing for a cooling treatment to be applied rapidly to injuries such

Stem cell breakthrough with textile implants at Hohenstein

1 October 2009

Researchers in Germany have developed a coating that they claim allows adult human stem cells to colonize the surface fibres of textile implants.

Hohenstein Institute develops gas-releasing textile material

1 August 2009

The Institute for Hygiene and Biotechnology (IHB) at Germany's Hohenstein Institute has developed what it describes as the first textile that can release medically effective gases for use in therapeut

Medical gown with fluid- and microorganism-impervious seam

1 November 2008

A method of making a fluid-impervious seam in a multilaminate medical fabric is disclosed by Allegiance Healthcare, a subsidiary of Cardinal Health.

Correcting spinal deformities

1 August 2008

Correcting spinal deformities DSM Dyneema and the University Hospital Maastricht (azM),The Netherlands, are to conduct joint research with the aim of improving the results of surgery on patients with

Making filaments opaque toX-rays

1 May 2008

Japanese inventors claim to have developed a thermoplastic filament that contains an agent rendering the textile opaque to X-rays but still capable of forming woven, knitted or nonwoven fabrics for me

Infection control requires close cooperation and collaboration

1 May 2006

EDANA's conference In Control!

Garments supply therapeutic additives

1 April 2006

A system of providing vitamin additives through garments is the subject of US Patent 6 673 054.

Transparency overcome

1 August 2003

A Dutch invention aims to create a lightweight but opaque fabric for clothing, particularly that used by healthcare workers.

Body monitor

1 June 2003

US researchers are developing a system for constantly monitoring a human body.

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Technical textiles at the vanguard of 21st century medicine

Antimicrobials enlisted in the battle against nosocomial infections