If time is of the essence and nothing can be left to chance, medical grade pvc tubing must perform at its optimal level to satisfy those who rely on its resiliency.
Although it is easily manufactured, medical grade PVC tubing must have certain performance characteristics to be used in medical applications, such as for oxygen transfer, surgical drains, and peristaltic pumps to name a few. Those critical properties encompass, but are not limited to the following, for grade PVC tubing:
Medical grade must be manufactured using non-toxic, lead-free materials that conform to FDA standards
Medical grade PVC must be manufactured in a Class 100,000 clean room with strict adherence to GMPs.
Surface properties, physical and mechanical properties, biostability, etc, must be evaluated to ensure medical grade PVC tubing its suitable for critical applications, such as for catheters.
The medical grade PVC tubing should maintain low temperature characteristics that make it suitable for certain applications that require it, such as blood collection.
Medical grade PVC tubes must be resistant to corrosion and other chemicals.
Of course, depending on the specific application, other characteristics of the medical grade PVC tubes are taken in account, such as whether it will be used on a high-risk patient. In this case, the medical grade PVC tube must be made in a non-DEHP plastic. If the medical grade tubing is used for transfusions, chemotherapy, or for feeding tubes then it is critical that its fluid pathway kink-resistant to reduce air bubbles and clotting. Providing the medical grade PVC tubing continues to “pass the testâ€, medical professionals will be able to depend upon it for maintaining patient care.