Medical equipment
Patient Controlled Pumps
Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) is a method of pain control that gives patients the power to control their pain. In PCA, a computerized pump called the patient-controlled analgesia pump, which contains a syringe of pain medication as prescribed by a doctor, is connected directly to a patient’s intravenous (IV) line. In some cases, the pump is set to deliver a small, constant flow of pain medication. Additional doses of medication can be self-administered as needed by having the patient press a button. Other times, a patient can control when he or she receives pain medication and does not receive a constant flow. These pumps include small diameter tubes made from medical-grade PVC, silicone and other polymers.
Diagnostic Devices
Diagnostic devices are used in a wide variety of medical applications, such as in the analysis of patient blood samples. Blood gas/pH analyzers use electrodes to determine pH, partial pressure of carbon dioxide, and partial pressure of oxygen in the blood. Many of these diagnostic devices use polymer tubing to transport liquids or gases within the device.
Contrast Media
Medical devices employed for injecting radioopaque contrast media into the body to enhance the visibility of tissues for a medical imaging procedure are known as contrast injectors. Automated versions are known as autoinjectors or power injectors. Autoinjectors are capable of controlling the amount of contrast media injected and are also able to increase dosage to keep pace with fast medical imaging scanners as well as alert the physician of potential hazards, such as air embolisms or extravasations. Practical uses of power injection are found whenever contrast delivery is needed during many types of diagnostic and therapeutic medical procedures, such as interventional cardiology, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These devices require flexible, high strength polymer tubing. Natvar medical-grade PVC tubing is used in many of these devices.
Suction & Irrigation
Suction-irrigation systems are used for releasing or removing fluids or other material primarily during laparoscopic or arthroscopic procedures. The system includes a valve or handle, tubing, a pump and various tips depending on its function during surgery. The attachments can be used for cutting, cauterizing, dissecting, retrieving specimens, excise loops or even smoke evacuation. Natvar medical-grade PVC paratubing allows for multiple channels for these devices.
Anesthesia Gas Sampling Lines
An important patient metric for the measure of current physiological state is their expired CO2 measurement. This parameter plays an even more prevalent role in the administration of anesthesia. There are two ways to measure CO2 in clinical applications, mainstream or sidestream. Mainstream CO2 is measured through the use of a sensor that is inserted via an airway adapter. Diverting, or sidestream measurement, transports the gas sample from the airway through a tube to a sensor. The tubes that transport patient air in these devices are known as gas sampling lines, and are typically medical-grade PVC tubes, or polyethylene-lined PVC tubes for reduced absorption.