Propylux HS: Medical grade Polymer for surgical instruments

Westlake Plastics manufactures medical grade polymer stock shapes in rods and sheets for orthopaedic trial parts and instruments, dental applications and other surgical tools and accessories requiring medical grade standards and biocompatibility. Within its range of medical grade polymers, Westlake offers: - Polycarbonate (PC) gamma sterilized under its Zelux® GS brand name - Polyetherimid (PEI) under its Tempalux® brand name - Polypropylen (PP) under its Propylux® brand name - Polyphenylsulfon (PPSU) under the Radel® brand name - Ultra High-Molecular Weight Polethylen (UHMW-PE) under its Lennite® brand name These polymers can be used for various medical and surgical tools, knee / hip / shoulder trial parts for orthopaedic implant kits and various other medical grade applications (sterilizable cases and containers) requiring high biocompatibility specifications (USP Class VI and ISO10993).

ULTEM HU1000® (PEI, polyetherimid) offers an excellent dimensional stability after autoclaving. It is preferable to Acetal Coplymer for designs where superior mechanical characteristics are required. This material is radio transparent. Our medical grade stock shapes (rods and sheets) are lot controlled and delivered with a certificate of conformance. The material is not for permanent implantation. It is available in 5 standard colours: black, blue, brown, gray , green. It is a well known material for traumatology and orthopaedic applications (instruments and trial parts).

With the new tightening procedures for cleaning and disinfecting implant ancillaries, PPSU offers an interesting solution guaranteeing a longer life cycle for products. Though it costs usually more than other medical grade polymers (POM, PP), it can nevertheless prove to be more economical in the long term due to its durability. This is especially true for complex designs which are expensive to machine. PPSU does not have any problems with the cleaning & pre-disinfection products. Our material is lot controlled, serialized and is delivered with a certificate of conformance. Coloured resin has been tested under ISO10993/5/10/11/18. The material is not for permanent implantation. PPSU behaves very well after a large number of sterilisation cycles in an autoclave at 134°C/273°F, it can be sterilized through other methods (ETO; gamma, plasma, dry heat). it is polishable for a perfect finish.

Medical grade Zelux® GS polycarbonate (PC) is produced from resin formulated to meet the stringent performance characteristics and requirements of the healthcare industry. Suitable for EtO gas and limited autoclaving sterilization, the resin also has proprietary color enhancement technology to reduce color shift caused by gamma radiation. It can be used for various medical applications such as surgical equipment, instrument components, housings and covers, single use surgical devices. Our Zelux GS material is available in rods or sheets. Other engineering window grade polycarbonate is also available.