Medical plastics are being showcased as part of Compamed 2019 exhibits

Compamed is showcasing the entire spectrum of supplier expertise for the medical technology industry in Düsseldorf this November.

This includes catheters, pressure sensors, hip implants, packaging machines, labs-on-a-chip, new materials for devices or hygiene-critical surfaces, and takes place alongside Medica. 

Plastics have qualities which include mechanical durability, biocompatibility and the ability to be sterilised. They are also used in creating clean rooms in order to meet the hygiene requirements for implants and blood-conducting systems. 

Recently, Evonik Venture Capital invested in Meditool, a 3D printing start-up company that manufactures implants for neurosurgery and spine surgery. This technology enables faster healing and fewer post-operative check-ups for the patient and a lower level of risk for doctors during operations Meditool develops its own hardware and software systems that can read the imagery from current MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) and CT (Computed Tomography) scans directly and process it. The software generates a printable 3D model from this data and sends it to a printer. The printer creates the implant as a 3D printout with the high-performance polymer polyether ether ketone (PEEK) supplied by Evonik.

Thomas Grosse-Puppendahl, head of the additive manufacturing innovative growth field said: “The technology from Meditool fits in perfectly with our strategy to expand our business in high-tech applications for our 3D printing materials. Medical applications are of particular interest to us here. Our high-performance polymers have already proved themselves as reliable implant materials in the dental sector, among others.” 

3D printing PEEK enables implants to be tailored to the individual so that a plate can be fitted to the patient’s skull shape, for example. This can reduce the likelihood of further interventions which may be required to adjust the size, form or position of the implant, and PEEK conducts less heat than metal. For patients that are exposed to high or low temperatures, the implant will not become excessively hot or cold. The material is biocompatible while CT and MRI scans can also be executed following the operation. 

Wearable electronic patches are already used in many areas in medicine and also in-patient monitoring and diagnostics. The design of the patches enables applications to be used to monitor vital parameters without severely limiting the patient’s mobility. Wearables must be worn on the skin constantly for an extended period of time, meaning they must protect the skin but also adhere to it sufficiently.

Covestro has developed material solutions for improved patch design. The company has come up with material combinations to create plasters – developing active-breathing polyurethane films (TPU) in the Platilon range. The materials are manufactured in a roll-to-roll process which enables wearables to be produced efficiently. The electronic product can be printed on the film and embedded in thermoformable polyurethane foam. It is then coated with a second sheet of film to increase wearer comfort. The plaster is then stuck on with an adhesive that is formulated to be gentle on the skin, which provides firm adhesion but also enables the plaster to be removed painlessly.

CG.TEC Injection is a partner in precision injection moulding of technical plastic parts. The process can be indispensable for medtech, particularly for lab-on-a-chip systems. CG.TEC will take over the manufacturing of microfluidic parts, from design to production – with tools developed and produced in-house. 

Coherent specialises in industrial picosecond laser systems. At Compamed, Coherent presents its compact laser cutting system, the ExactCut, for processing thin and thick metals and alloys. The StarCut Tube SL precision laser system is suited to cutting medical implants and instruments. Another product, the ExactMark, is intended for marking and black marking stainless steel for medical technology. microsensys produces miniature tags which use RFID technology for sample and instrument identification. They can be used in pre-purification of surgical instruments, and provide data for clear identification and process management, such as for sterilisation processes.

CG.Tec, Coherent and microsensys are under the same umbrella; and are exhibiting on the IVAM Microtechnology Network joint stand. The main focal subjects for the IVAM Microtechnology Network are microfluidics, sensor technology, microelectronics and optical technology and their applications, such as laser procedures.

Dr. Thomas R. Dietrich, CEO of the IVAM, said: “Mobile diagnostic and therapeutic devices cannot be created without microfluidic components that process small amounts of fluid”.

This topic is one of the highlights of the Compamed High-Tech Forum, which has been a popular part of Compamed for many years.

The Compamed High-Tech Forum becomes even more international with special session in the program. Monday kicks off with a “Dutch session” which shows the innovations from the Netherlands. On Tuesday there’s three presentations on the medtech market in Japan and Japanese companies’ interest in the European medtech market take the spotlight. Popular topics from previous years will be allotted their own sessions again this year: “Printed Electronics und 3D-Printing”, “Laser and Photonics Applications”, “Smart Sensor Solutions” and “Microfluidics for Diagnostics and Life Sciences”. 

The forum will showcase new topics such as the “Digitalisation of Medical Equipment” session form one part of this, and the other component consists of completely new presentation formats. A session titled “Equipment Manufacturer meets Component Manufacturer” allows equipment and component manufacturers to get to know each other by giving company pitches will be held for the first time. 

The companion to the High-Tech Forum is the Compamed Suppliers’ Forum from DeviceMed. This year marks its eighth edition, giving an overview of development, manufacturing and approval of medical products. It covers the entire value-added chain across technology and more, from electronic manufacturing to plastic and metal processing, over the four days. Presentations begin at 11am from Monday to Thursday.

Imaging procedures continue to play a major role in medicine and medtech. Panasonic has therefore consistently expanded its palette of industrial medical vision cameras. The OEM micro camera systems offer solutions that have proved themselves in neurosurgery and ophthalmology. These systems can be integrated into different applications. Support from Panasonic reduces development times, unexpected risks and unnecessary investment, and interfaces with multiple formats and outputs aid compatibility and user-friendliness. This is all completed by a surgical video display system, “Industrial Medical Vision” (IMV).

Four representatives of the Fraunhoer Gesellschaft (IFAM, IME, IZI and ITEM) are showcasing their solution (the Synergy Boost project) for fighting infections when implants are placed on the joint stand. Infections can be contracted that can only be contained with difficulty, via treatment with antibiotic tablets or IVs. In these cases, the implant generally has to be replaced with a new implant.

Fraunhofer researchers are now coating the replacement implant with targeted medication to fight the causative bacteria and are synergistically by using silver ions to enhance antibiotic effect.

Kai Borcherding, a scientist at Fraunhofer IFAM, explains: “In addition, we have researched the synergistic effects of antibiotics and silver ions and can thus increase efficacy significantly.”

This means that both the antibiotic and the silver ions kill bacteria. Firstly, the bacteria and the antibiotic to treat it are defined. Then the antibiotic is applied directly to the implant.

Borderching added: “We have developed a variety of different coating methods for this.”

The result: The researchers structure the surface so that the antibiotic can be integrated into it. The coating, which contains silver, is applied to the surface of the implant in a vacuum. 

Compamed is taking place from 18th to 21st November.