Here at Flex Technologies, we are proud of the quality of all of the silicone products that we manufacture. We have been in the industry for decades, and have used that time well to hone our silicone tubes and hoses to perfection. It is because we stand by the quality of our work that our products see use across so many industries, including agriculture, marine, aerospace, medical, automotive, personal care, rubber, and adhesive industries. But here, we would like to go over silicone and its uses in the medical industry. If you were not aware how prevalent silicone has become in the medical industry, read on for some interesting information.

Medical Uses for Silicone

As we said, silicone is an extremely prevalent material in the medical industry for many reasons. Of course the main reason silicone is so prevalent is that it is non toxic to humans, whether making contact with the inside or outside of our bodies. Obviously, not harming the patient is prerequisite number one for medical materials. But silicone's usefulness goes a lot further than that. It also has attributes that make it perfect for adhesives, dressings, needles, and much more. Here is a long, but certainly not exhaustive, list of uses for silicone in the medical industry.

• Silicone encapsulates electronic components in medical equipment. This keeps wires from touching, short circuiting the whole machine, as silicone does not conduct electricity. Some of the machines that commonly use silicone include MRI scanners, hearing aids, ultrasound machines, and defibrillators.
• Speaking of silicone not conducting electricity, it is also used in the computers used in the medical industry. These computers run the machines that often keep people alive, and are a necessary part of medicine.
• Glass containers used for medicines, especially intravenous medicines, coat the inside of the containers with silicone. This ensures that the medicine does not come in contact with any material that could be harmful to a patient. 
• The syringes used to administer these medicines are also usually coated with silicone. In fact, they are coated with great precision. A uniform silicone coat on a syringe will make the injection process both easier to perform and less painful for the patient. 
• Not just the electronics used in the medical field, but the fluids used to clean those electronics almost always tend to have silicone in them. 
• As with syringes, pacemakers, IVs, shunts, catheters, and drains are all made of silicone. This is for the same reason; they do not cause irritation or damage to the human body, whether placed externally or internally.
• Anything that adheres to the skin, like dry-skin adhesives for ECG contacts, EEG leads, and medical prostheses are very likely going to have silicone in them.
•  The inhalation masks and inhalation balloons that you commonly see being used by people with respiratory problems also use silicone in their manufacturing.
• An even less likely place to find silicone is in the cushioning in your hospital bed. It is a cheap, elastic material that can even be used for comfort!
• Medical adhesives (and in fact many adhesives in general) often use silicone. Again, this is due to its non toxic attributes.

When it comes to versatility in the medical field, few materials can compete with silicone. We mentioned that it is non toxic, does not conduct electricity, and is elastic yet durable. It is also resistant to bacteria, which makes it very easy to sterilize. It does not react with other chemicals, which is a problem medical professionals always have to look out for. It even improves the consistency of many topical medicines, getting rid of greasy chemical residues. 

Medical Silicone Tubes and Hoses Online

We are proud of the quality of our silicone products. While we don't carry silicone gels or adhesives, we do sell high quality silicone tubes and hoses online. These have seen use in many medical machines. We have been in the business for decades, and always stand by the quality of our work. All of our silicone hoses and tubes are subject to the strict standards of ISO 9001:2008, TS-16949, as well as our own internal company guidelines and processes. 

Of course, as we mentioned at the beginning of the article, there is a lot more use for silicone than just in the medical industry. We can also supply silicone tubes and hoses for all of the other industries listed and more. Silicone is a great material for tubes and hoses in a wide variety of circumstances. Feel free to check out our product specs for more information on whether they are right for your needs.

If you are looking to buy our medical silicone tubes and hoses online, we also have wholesale and distributor options. If you need something made to custom specifications, we can do that too. For more information on our products, delivery, wholesale, or custom design options, please do not hesitate to give us a call at your earliest convenience. One of our friendly and knowledgeable representatives will be happy to answer any questions that you may have. We look forward to hearing from you!