Honeywell announces their blue-hued fibre that provides a strong visual aid to better differentiate between multiple suture sets in more complex surgeries. By creating clear colour contrast, the new fibre enables healthcare professionals to operate more accurately and efficiently, promoting greater safety and comfort for patients.
“We are providing major manufacturers the opportunity to modernise orthopaedic devices and improve surgical methods with our coloured Spectra MG Bio Fiber, and to deliver that innovation in a collaborative, supportive manner,” said Abey Paul, business leader for Spectra MG Bio Fiber at Honeywell. “This technology is extremely important for orthopaedic applications around the world, fostering successful procedures that protect both patients and professionals, and Honeywell is leading in setting new standards.”
Engineered to be both ultra-lightweight and ultra-high strength, Honeywell’s Spectra MG Bio Fiber provides superior resistance to chemicals, fatigue and abrasion when compared to conventional polyethylene fibre, making it an optimal solution for minimally invasive surgeries. Earlier this year, the technology received ISO 13485 certification, the highest management standard for the medical device industry.
The addition of a coloured variety to the Spectra MG Bio portfolio means the biomaterial can be utilised and trusted by a wide range of manufacturers building increasingly smaller, stronger and lighter devices. For the orthopaedic market, coloured Spectra MG Bio Fiber provides new advantages for both existing devices and emerging trends used in corrective surgeries, such as robotics, that reduce procedure durations and smart implants that flag dangerous bacterial presence. This advancement will help to support the growing worldwide market for orthopaedic devices, which is expected to reach a $43.1 billion value by 2024. In addition, by collaborating with and supplying directly to OEMs, Honeywell offers more tailored, flexible customer support to device manufacturers aiming to advance their equipment designs with coloured-fibre compatibility.
Honeywell’s Spectra MG Bio Fiber is expected to be commercially available globally in Q3 2022, making the technology accessible to orthopaedic device markets in regions including the U.S., EU, India, Asia Pacific and Latin America. In China and Japan, the innovation is the first medical grade coloured fibre available for use following imminent approval from the New Medical Products Administration (NMPA), providing capabilities and solutions to the region.