Introduction

The use of nonwovens in medical arena goes back to the time of Second World War when need for new and large volumes of medical product had arisen. In several reports published, nonwovens were regarded as the most effective materials for bacterial barriers. They were also found superior to linens in the reduction of air-borne contamination.

After significant development of nonwovens, they were designed in a way to suit the medical needs and give a performance much better than their woven counterparts in terms of cost, effectiveness, disposability etc. In hospitals, cross-contamination is always one of the biggest problems which were attributed largely to re-using of woven gowns, masks and other similar articles which would get contaminated and potentially spread the germs. The advent of nonwovens facilitated the development of a more cost effective alternative which was disposable and reduced the problem of cross-contamination greatly.

Why Nonwovens for Medical Products?

Nonwovens are known for delivering superior performance in specialized tasks because they can be designed the way an application needs them to be. The properties which make nonwovens the best choice for medical products are:

• Excellent barrier properties
• Superior efficiency
• Better performance (comfort, thickness and weight, water vapor transmission, air permeability etc.)
• Increased protection for user (better physical properties like tensile, tear resistance, abrasion resistance etc.)
• Less potential for cross contamination

Wound care was and still is the primary use for medical and surgical nonwovens. Nonwovens find applications in a variety of products viz. absorbent pads, incontinence products, apparel for patients and staff. Baby diapers, bed linen and blankets, burn dressings, gowns, disposable underwear, dressings, drug delivery devices, face masks, filter media, nasal strips, pillows, shoe covers, sponges, sutures, tissue scaffolds, towels, wraps etc.

These products are effectively employed in use in ambulances, consultation couches, ICUs, laboratory, operating rooms, wards etc.

Fig 1: Medical Nonwovens