Sterilisation has always been challenging but sterilisation of healthcare products and polymers, especially together is an even greater challenge - how do you sterilise without adversely affecting the end use or the end user? This book discusses all the sterilisation methods used for polymeric healthcare products both traditional and new.
The effective sterilisation of any material or device to be implanted in or used in close contact with the human body is essential for the elimination of harmful agents such as bacteria. Sterilisation of biomaterials and medical devices reviews established and commonly used technologies alongside new and emerging processes.Following an introduction to the key concepts and challenges involved in sterilisation, the sterilisation of biomaterials and medical devices using steam and dry heat, ionising radiation and ethylene oxide is reviewed. A range of non-traditional sterilisation techniques, such as hydrogen peroxide gas plasma, ozone and steam formaldehyde, is then discussed together with research in sterilisation and decontamination of surfaces by plasma discharges. Sterilisation techniques for polymers, drug-device products and tissue allografts are then reviewed, together with antimicrobial coatings for 'self-sterilisation' and the challenge presented by prions and endotoxins in the sterilisation of reusable medical devices. The book concludes with a discussion of future trends in the sterilisation of biomaterials and medical devices.With its distinguished editors and expert team of international contributors, Sterilisation of biomaterials and medical devices is an essential reference for all materials scientists, engineers and researchers within the medical devices industry. It also provides a thorough overview for academics and clinicians working in this area. - Reviews established and commonly used technologies alongside new and emerging processes - Introduces and reviews the key concepts and challenges involved in sterilisation - Discusses future trends in the sterilisation of biomaterials and medical devices
The Effect of Sterilization Methods on Plastics and Elastomers, Fourth Edition brings together a wide range of essential data on the sterilization of plastics and elastomers, thus enabling engineers to make optimal material choices and design decisions. The data tables in this book enable engineers and scientists to select the right materials and sterilization method for a given product or application. The book is a unique and essential reference for anybody working with plastic materials that are likely to be exposed to sterilization methods, be it in medical device or packaging development, food packaging or other applications. - Presents essential data and practical guidance for engineers and scientists working with plastics in applications that require sterile packaging and equipment - Updated edition removes obsolete data, updates manufacturers, verifies data accuracy, and adds new plastics materials for comparison - Provides essential information and guidance for FDA submissions required for new medical devices
No book has been published that gives a detailed description of all the types of plastic materials used in medical devices, the unique requirements that the materials need to comply with and the ways standard plastics can be modified to meet such needs. This book will start with an introduction to medical devices, their classification and some of the regulations (both US and global) that affect their design, production and sale. A couple of chapters will focus on all the requirements that plastics need to meet for medical device applications. The subsequent chapters describe the various types of plastic materials, their properties profiles, the advantages and disadvantages for medical device applications, the techniques by which their properties can be enhanced, and real-world examples of their use. Comparative tables will allow readers to find the right classes of materials suitable for their applications or new product development needs.
This updated sterilisation manual informs health workers about the simple protocols and procedures that have been developed to prevent hospital-acquired infections both inside and outside the sterilisation plant. The guidelines included in this manual show the steps to follow in cleaning, preparing, sterilizing, storing and transporting hospital equipment so as to obtain sterile material. It is very important to be aware of this information in order to provide patients with safe health care.
The first one-volume guide to sources of contamination in pharmaceuticals and medical devices Most books dealing with contaminants in medicinal products often focus on analytical methods for detecting nonspecific impurities. Key to the work of the pharmaceutical chemist, this unique reference helps identify the sources of contamination in medicinal and pharmaceutical products and medical devices. Divided into three parts, Sources of Contamination in Medicinal Products and Medical Devices covers chemical, microbiological, and physical (particulate matter) contamination, including those originating from sterilization procedures. As compelling as a medical documentary, the book sheds light on how impurities and contaminants can enter the human body transported via a specific product or treatment. Focusing on only those medicinal products and medical devices that may lead to exposure to contaminants harmful to human health, the book offers a comprehensive, systematic look at the entire universe of medical contamination: Chemical contaminants including residual solvents, catalyst residuals, and genotoxic impurities in active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) Diagnostic imaging agents (i.e., radiopharmaceuticals and contrast agents) Microbiological and endotoxin contamination involving single and multiple dose products, medical devices, and biofilms Contamination from sterilization procedures, residuals from radiation sterilization, ionizing radiation on packaging materials and medical devices Medicinal gases and volatile anesthetics Biopharmaceuticals including recombinant DNA technology products Extractables and leachables from containers made of glass, plastics, and metal Each section of the book contains information on what contaminants could be expected in a particular product, and how they were generated and reached that product. With up-to-date regulatory guidelines for determining contamination, as well as methods for assessing, quantifying, avoiding and removing contaminants, Sources of Contamination in Medicinal Products and Medical Devices is essential to fully understanding the specific threats that undermine the safety of medicines and medical devices.
The ways of sterilisation begin as far back as biblical and roman times, from early beginnings to standardization. Sterilisation evolution has gone through a series of trials and wizardry before it achieved the status of science. And even with a scientific approach, some of its modalities frequently has been referred to as an art (an imaginary focus), while most have achieved a certain scientific standardization. This book provides a drawbridge between history, terminology, environmental and fundamentals of sterilisation that beginners to sterilisation should recognize, but continues with advancements, which supervisors and managers should know and apply. So while providing historical and current sterilisation information, the book also provides interfacial areas with design practices, development, environmental control, material compatibility, microbiology, packaging, process selection, statistics, technical information and validation. This book consists of two volumes (Healthcare Sterilisation, Introduction and Standard Practices: Volume 1, and Healthcare Sterilisation, Challenging Practices: Volume 2). Volume 1 provides an introduction, and an overview of sterilisation on early and classical sterilisation principles such as absolutism and overkill, and steadfast and standard methods. It will help answer some healthcare sterilisation queries such as: what are the origins and evolution of sterilisation? How does environmental control and microbiology affect sterilisation? What are some of the classical as well as standard sterilisation methods? What are the most consistent and reliable sterilisation methods? Is sterilisation in your future? An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Without sterilisation, infectious disease and contamination would run rampant. Consequently, sterilisation has tremendous value and disease control, and this book provides a three dimensional view of it.
The concept of focal controlled drug delivery has been applied for treating illnesses that are localized to a certain tissue or organ. These delivery systems are applied directly to the diseased site and deliver a desired dose for an extended time period while minimizing systemic distribution of toxic drug. Controlled drug delivery systems have been focused on oral extended release formulations and on systemic delivery of small drugs and peptides. Despite the upsurge of interest in focal targeted drug delivery, there is currently no single reference text on the subject. By comparison, there are numerous authored and edited books on oral, systemic and transdermal drug delivery or books on biodegradable polymers as drug carriers. Thus, the aim of Focal Drug Delivery is to bring together leading experts and researchers in the field to provide an authoritative account of the essential pharmaceutical, technological, physiological and biological sciences underpinning the topic. In addition, the book will review advances in treatment options for diseases localized at a certain tissue or organ.
Legionnaires' disease, a pneumonia caused by the Legionella bacterium, is the leading cause of reported waterborne disease outbreaks in the United States. Legionella occur naturally in water from many different environmental sources, but grow rapidly in the warm, stagnant conditions that can be found in engineered water systems such as cooling towers, building plumbing, and hot tubs. Humans are primarily exposed to Legionella through inhalation of contaminated aerosols into the respiratory system. Legionnaires' disease can be fatal, with between 3 and 33 percent of Legionella infections leading to death, and studies show the incidence of Legionnaires' disease in the United States increased five-fold from 2000 to 2017. Management of Legionella in Water Systems reviews the state of science on Legionella contamination of water systems, specifically the ecology and diagnosis. This report explores the process of transmission via water systems, quantification, prevention and control, and policy and training issues that affect the incidence of Legionnaires' disease. It also analyzes existing knowledge gaps and recommends research priorities moving forward.
