How A Detailed Understanding Of Materials Is Playing A Vital Role In The Evolution Of Medical Device Technology

By Richard White, Ph.D., Lucideon

With the most important healthcare innovations yet to happen, medical device manufacturers are investing in product enhancing innovations in a diverse range of applications, including orthopaedic implants, vascular drug-eluting stents, microelectronics, and bio-materials for grafts and cements. The materials technology in metal alloys, advanced ceramics, polymers, bio-materials, composites and electronics will have a profound effect on healthcare in the 21st Century.

The development of medical devices with advanced materials requires a fundamental understanding of materials used, their properties and their interaction with the body in any given healthcare application.Researchers, designers, engineers and quality managers must all have access to better materials evaluation data in order to make informed decisions on material selection, substitution, qualification, and quality assurance programs, to meet biocompatibility and regulations of the industry. A clear understanding of critical material characteristics reduces time, cost and risk in design and regulatory approvals.