How Medical Disinfectants and Sterilization Affect the Robustness of Plastic Parts

When developing a medical device, it is important to consider if the product will need to be sterilized or disinfected. The purpose of disinfecting or sterilizing medical devices is the removal of pathogenic microbes that could lead to contamination or infection in the user or patient. The level of disinfection or sterilization is dependent on the intended use of the medical device, and a wide range of physical and/or chemical processes can be used to sterilize them. Issues can arise in plastic components when the disinfectant chemical or sterilization process alters the molecular structure of the plastic resin, which can lead to cracking and catastrophic failure. The incident rate of plastic failure associated with sanitizing medical devices has significantly increased corresponding with efforts to eliminate disease transfer and healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs). This presentation will discuss the various sanitizing methods and their potential effect on plastic materials.

At the end of this event, attendees will have a better understanding of:

• Common techniques used to disinfect and sterilize medical devices.
• Material selection as a strategy for better chemical compatibility.
• Testing methodologies used to assess the effects of sanitizing on plastic materials.