Transparent and robust urine meters made from CYROLITE® play a crucial role in the treatment of urology patients

• Becton, Dickinson (BD) manufactures urine meters for urine meter drain bags from CYROLITE® molding compounds from Röhm
• High transparency enables visual inspection of flow and fluid levels
• Medical-grade plastic can be sterilized and is resistant to bodily fluids

Controlled supply and drainage of bodily fluids is a critical component to diagnostics and treatment during invasive surgeries. Doctors and support staff depend on reliable and easy-to-use medical technology in order to meet this criteria. Becton, Dickinson (BD), one of the largest medical technology companies in the world, has developed the urine drainage system using a component made from Röhm’s CYROLITE® G-20 HIFLO medical-grade plastic product.

“Our CYROLITE® special molding compounds are acrylic-based copolymer compounds which were specifically developed for medical applications. They comply with the requirements of US classification USP Class VI, as well as ISO 10993-1 and the European Union’s REACH regulation,” explains Michael Zadrozny, Strategic Account Manager Medical at Röhm. “CYROLITE® is a proven material for disposable medical devices, such as IV connectors, Y connectors, Luer locks, catheter accessories, filter housings, and syringes.”

Transparent and printable – for precise fluid monitoring

Many auxiliary products used in clinics on a daily basis are designed for single-use due to hygiene precautions. Despite this, these products are required to meet the highest requirements while fulfilling complex functions. The same applies to this urology product from BD. The drainage bag made from elastic plastic is connected via PVC tubing to a urinary catheter, which enables urine to drain from the bladder. An important part of the system is a stable, transparent measuring tube made from CYROLITE® G-20 HIFLO located at the center of the heart-shaped bag.

The material’s transparency is beneficial in all diagnostic and treatment methods which require visual inspections of fluid levels or flow behavior. Markings and measuring units are often necessary for this. CYROLITE® can be printed on easily using methods such as pad printing, which is ideal for printing precisely on curved surfaces. The measuring tube in the BD drainage bag enables medical staff to quickly and clearly determine the precise amount of urine that has drained, and assess its appearance – two crucial indicators when checking kidney function.

Resistant to bodily fluids and chemicals

One of the most important requirements needed for the medical-grade material is it’s resistance to urine. CYROLITE® is highly resistant to bodily fluids and lipids, as well as many chemicals, such as plasticizers. Components made from the acrylic-based copolymer compounds can also be reliably connected to other plastics – such as PVC tubing – using bonding and welding processes.

Robust and sterilizable

The properties in CYROLITE® molding compounds make it easy to process in medical applications. CYROLITE® G-20 HIFLO used in this application is characterized by its excellent melt flow rate. Thanks to this property, it can be used for injection molded extremely thin-walled and complex components which are also very robust due to the special product’s high impact resistance. This is a highly relevant factor in hospitals, particularly in intensive care units where medical products must withstand quick and forceful handling, such as when inserting or replacing invasive supply systems in patients. Of course, all materials must also be absolutely sterile. Medical products made from CYROLITE® meet this requirement, as well, as they can be sterilized using EtO gas, gamma radiation, E-beam, as well as the STERRAD® sterilization system.