- Dec 14, 2021
There’s no denying that medical textiles play a major role in the healthcare industry. From facemasks, bandages, sutures, plasters to casts, medical textile products have become daily essentials in the healthcare industry.
What’s more, with each passing day, the industry continues to evolve. Over the next five years, the medical textiles market is set to grow at an annual rate of 4.80%. It is valued at $18.7 billion in 2020.
This steady growth rate is possible due to the many healthcare textile innovations happening in companies worldwide. This post will explore some of the new and exciting developments in medical textiles and their meaning for the industry.
The 5 Healthcare Textile Innovations Making a Splash
In this portion, we have rounded up a list of medical textiles developments from across the globe. See for yourself.
1. The Development of Micrillon
Developed by the UMF Corporation in Smokie, Illinois, the Micrillon microfiber is a polymer material that can be integrated with other fabrics to be used in a wide range of products.
A major advantage of Micrillon is its rechargeable properties. Consequently, the microfiber can easily eliminate the risk of contamination of surfaces by viruses and bacteria and minimize the risk of infection.
Moreover, studies have shown that this microfiber is 100% resistant to the pathogens responsible for Covid-19 and H1N1.
This enhanced protection means that Micrillon has been used extensively in surgical gloves, N95 face masks, hospital pillow covers and bedsheets, and so on.
According to Dr. Mina Izadjoo, Micrillon is a very promising healthcare innovation in infection control and prevention. Since its introduction, Micrillon has been used in many hospitals.
2. FilterLayr
NanoLayr, a company from Auckland, New Zealand, recently developed a filter known as FilterLayr. What makes things interesting is their integration of Manuka Oil and nanofiber technology.
This is how FilterLayr works: the generous use of nanofibers equips the filter with a large surface area, infused with the potent anti-microbial properties of the Manuka Oil. These twin properties ensure that the filter is extremely effective against numerous pathogens.
Numerous research reports suggest that FilterLayr is 99% effective in killing bacteria and many surrogate viruses.
What’s more, FilterLayr comes with high endurance and can withstand multiple uses. Ray Connor, the CEO of NanoLayr, believes that this is due to the super absorbent properties of the nanofibers that go into making the filters.
Given the massive potential of FilterLayr, NanoLayr is actively looking to boost its production activities to supply enough filters to meet the demand in New Zealand and beyond.
3. Nanotube Threads
Next on this list of healthcare textile innovations are Nanotube Threads. These threads were born out of an experiment at Matteo Pasquali’s lab at Rice University.
Given the remarkable properties of these threads, they are being woven into everyday clothing to collect EKG data regularly. The properties that make this possible are as follows:
- Conductive properties like that of metals
- Extremely washable
- Provides optimum comfort to the wearer
- High levels of breakage resistance
By incorporating Nano Threads into patients’ clothing, professionals have gathered more accurate and reliable vital signs data, reducing the margin of error associated with other data collection methods.
The threads can also double up as electrodes. They can connect to Bluetooth-enabled devices and relay real-time and updated patient data.
Emboldened by the future potential of Nano Threads, the team is planning to introduce several improvements, such as producing nanotube threads of higher density.
Lauren Taylor, who was closely involved with the development of Nano Threads, believes that the threads can be used in robotics outside of the healthcare industry.
4. The Combination of Nylon and Zinc
Collaborative research by scientists at the ResInnova Labs, the University of Cambridge, the Icahn School of Medicine, and Ascend Performance Materials reported an interesting finding.
They found that if nylon fabrics are infused with zinc, the material becomes very effective against nearly 99% of the bacteria and viruses, including those that cause Covid-19.
Further, the combination of Nylon and Zinc has been found to provide optimum absorption and inactivation. For instance, they found that face masks made of Nylon-6,6 and Zinc could provide users with all-around protection.
Studies also showed that the Zinc-Nylon pairing could survive multiple washes without losing any of its properties.
The researchers are looking to use the dual properties of Zinc and Nylon to develop PPE kits that can provide healthcare workers with 100% protection from disease-causing pathogens.
In short, this combination is one of the healthcare textiles innovations that are here to stay.
5. Smart Ultrasound Patches
Earlier in July, researchers at the University of California, San Diego, came up with a smart textile offering: an ultrasound patch. The patch looks like a normal bandage but can achieve a lot.
For instance, the smart ultrasound patch can do the following:
- Monitor blood flow through the body
- Spot cardiovascular issues, like blood clots, reduced circulation, blocked arteries, etc.
- Track blood pressure and various related heart functions
- Sense signals from other important organs of the body, including the brain
The smart ultrasound patch is made from polymer and comes with tiny ultrasound chips. Further, the patch operates in two phases. The second phase allows professionals to monitor the functions of specific organs in the body.
The easy-to-use nature of the patch makes it a boon for patients and medical professionals alike.
Wrapping Up
Healthcare Textiles Innovations are the need of the hour. The Micrillon micro-fibers, FilterLayr, nanotube threads, the zinc-nylon combination, and smart ultrasound patches are all revolutionary and ground-breaking in their way.
However, many other new developments in the medical textiles domain can be used, like carbon in facemasks, fibroline GATT patches, and biodegradable fibers.
These developments can go a long way in improving patients’ and healthcare professionals’ quality of life.
Do you want to tap into the market for Cardiovascular Devices? This post might be helpful.
