Analysts predict that the worldwide demand for medical foam will reach $31 billion by the year 2025. While many industries have used foams for years the medical industry is still in the nascent stages of discovering the many useful applications of this material. Closed and open-cell medical foams are now part of this growing field of medical innovation.
The need for sterilized medical tools and components makes high-quality durable packaging a must for medical devices. Cost-effective and able to sustain transport, closed-cell medical foams are now the top option for medical device and component packaging solutions, with polyethylene and cross-linked polyethylene foams being the most common.
The industries leading manufacturers of this type of device use polyethylene foams that contain nitrogen, creating an environment that is both hypoallergenic and non-toxic, a necessity for surgical operations where skin contact is unavoidable.
The most common types of open-cell foams are polyurethane and reticulated polyurethane. Similar to closed-foam technologies, this porous design allows for an extensive range of medical applications. Due to its natural anti-microbial properties closed foam is ideal for use in medical air filters, specialty sponges, and sterilization bags. They are also commonly applied to prosthetic devices as molded covers and EKG machine pads. For patients who require the maximum degree of protection, fungicidal and bactericidal properties are added to the foam to fully sanitize the device.
As the use of cell foams becomes increasingly commonplace, both the medical community and the general public will continue to see the benefits of this innovative and flexible material.