Application cases of medical TPU waterproof and breathable membrane in surgical gowns

Application cases of medical TPU waterproof and breathable membrane in surgical gowns

TPU, thermoplastic polyurethane, is a polymer elastomer material with excellent performance. The thickness of the waterproof and breathable membrane made from it is usually between tens and tens of microns. It has excellent liquid-repellent properties and allows water vapor molecules to pass smoothly. Therefore, it has been widely used in the field of medical surgical gowns.

In long-term and difficult surgical scenarios, such as cardiac surgery and neurosurgery, doctors often need to work continuously for four to eight hours. Traditional rubber-coated surgical gowns have poor air permeability, and medical staff are prone to sweating a lot and even collapse. The surgical gown made of TPU moisture-permeable membrane composite fabric has a moisture permeability of up to several kilograms per square meter every 24 hours. It can continuously discharge sweat and keep the body surface dry. At the same time, its hydrostatic pressure can reach more than 10,000 Pa, which can effectively block the splash and penetration of blood and flushing fluid, reducing the risk of cross-infection.

In infectious disease treatment scenarios, medical staff need to wear surgical gowns with high protective performance for a long time. The protective surgical gown made of a composite material of TPU film and polypropylene non-woven fabric has a high pass rate in the synthetic blood barrier test, and the virus filtration efficiency also meets relevant standards. It is soft to the touch, light in weight, easy to put on and take off, and is suitable for long-term operations in isolation wards.

In surgeries that require large amounts of irrigation fluid, such as orthopedic joint replacement, fluid splashes are frequent. A sandwich composite structure surgical gown using a TPU film sandwiched between two layers of non-woven fabrics can still maintain reliable protection even in the face of continuous liquid impact. The seams are treated with ultrasonic welding or heat sealing processes to eliminate the hidden danger of needle seam leakage.

Judging from clinical feedback, this type of surgical gown has significantly reduced the stuffiness while maintaining a high level of protection, and the fatigue level and skin irritation rate of medical staff have been reduced. TPU material does not contain plasticizers, has good biocompatibility, and meets medical hygiene and safety requirements. In the future, it can be combined with antibacterial, antistatic and other functions to further improve the overall performance of surgical gowns.