DSM in Medical

Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight-Polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers

Recent breakthroughs in medical textiles have enabled manufacturers to create various implantable devices ranging from innovative sutures to improved cardiovascular devices. As a leader in UHMWPE fiber technology, DSM has played a significant role in developing new materials that help improve orthopedic and cardiovascular implants and procedures and return patients to active lifestyles.

The innovative UHMWPE fiber technology, designed for use in humans, has the potential to aid in therapeutic repairs that last longer, create stronger mechanical performance, and increase comfort – contributing to improved quality of life for patients.

Advances in fiber technology

These advances in fiber technology have played a role in the shift to medical grade UHMWPE-based textiles. In orthopedics, UHMWPE fibers offer extreme strength yet much more flexibility than metal. In cardiovascular, replacement of PET fibers by UHMWPE fibers creates the potential to reduce device size. This allows medical device manufacturers to react to market trends by designing improved devices needed by an aging population and those living more active lifestyles. With its superior strength and smaller profile, DSM’s UHMWPE fibers, known as Dyneema Purity® fibers, help medical device manufacturers develop the durable, low profile devices needed to meet the growing trend toward minimally invasive surgery.

DSM is a leader in biomedical materials, with more than 500 patents in UHMWPE and the only company with a dedicated production facility for producing medical grade UHMWPE fibers. Our Dyneema Purity® fibers offer medical device manufacturers freedom of design to meet challenges thanks to their high strength, low profile, superior abrasion resistance and flexibility.

Dyneema Purity® fibers

Not only are Dyneema Purity® fibers 15 times stronger than steel, they’re also soft and highly pliable. Materials made with these fibers are resistant to fatigue and abrasion, which can contribute to the device durability and lifetime. They meet our brand promise of improving the quality of life for patients by helping engineers give physicians and other medical practitioners the most advanced tools available.

DSM sustains its leadership position through continuous innovation of new grades based on feedback from medical device designers. We offer three grades of Dyneema Purity® fiber:

  • Dyneema Purity® SGX grade: A general purpose, highly versatile, very strong medical grade UHMWPE fiber used to improve implant performance. More>
  • Dyneema Purity® TG grade: As strong as the SGX grade, yet with significantly thinner diameters to lower the profile of implants. Designed for use in cardiovascular devices, for example. More>
  • Dyneema Purity® UG and VG grade: A fiber created specifically for the development of heavy duty orthopedic applications that demand the highest mechanical performance. Available in white and blue. More>

Technical Support

DSM offers customers unmatched technical support. At our Technical Center in Europe, a dedicated medical team with years of hands-on experience can advise on mechanical testing and can connect you with biomedical textile experts to help with fiber processing.

DSM Biomedical materials are available only direct through DSM Biomedical.

Testimonials

You don’t have to take our word for it when we describe the excellence of Dyneema Purity® fibers. See what others are saying:

From an orthopedic surgeon:

“After years of research, fiber constructions made of medical grade UHMWPE fiber are quickly emerging as an alternative to steel. Its properties allow for flexible design of constructions, and its smaller dimensions enable UHMWPE fibers to be used in smaller implants which are ideal for new, minimally invasive surgical techniques that can lead to shorter hospitalization and faster recovery times.

– Dr. Lodewijk van Rhijn, Orthopaedic Surgeon at University Hospital Maastricht, The Netherlands

From customers and trusted specialist:

“Strong sutures are an important trend within the orthopedic field. Biomet is pleased to be able to offer this next generation suture – MaxBraidTM – containing Dyneema Purity® fiber to the orthopedic community. Our Lactoscrew is the strongest anchor, and it is great to attach the strongest suture to it.”

– Kevin Stone, VP of Operations, Biomet Sports Medicine Inc.

“Our experience with the team at DSM has been excellent. They have the product quality and the commitment to excellence that we were looking for in a partner. They took the time to understand our technical and business requirements and responded to requests promptly. DSM is clearly driven by a passion to meet the evolving needs of spine applications and spine companies.”

– Austin F. Noll, III, President & CEO, Simpirica Spine, Inc.

“Biomedical Structures is pleased to have entered into a new cooperative relationship with DSM. With material selection becoming paramount to the performance of medical devices and components, we recognize the value that DSM has brought to this market through the Dyneema Purity® line of UHMWPE fibers. This new relationship will add immeasurable value to new product design and production processes.”

– John R. Gray, President, Biomedical Structures

From a patient:

“As a successful Olympic Weightlifter from 1980 to 2000, I earned countless titles and awards while my shoulders paid the price. My orthopedic surgeon used Dyneema Purity® fiber in the surgeries to reattach both rotator cuffs, and I could not be more pleased with the results. Shortly after my first surgery I was able to return to my full exercise regimen, and while I am currently recovering from my second surgery, I expect the same successful outcome. With the innovative repair of my shoulder tendons, I can appreciate my past successes while still enjoying an active future.”

– John Coniff, former Olympic Weightlifter and Global Business Segment Manager, Sulzer Metco

Trusted specialists

We use a select group of biomedical textile experts for the design and manufacture of biomedical textile structures using Dyneema Purity® fiber. These ‘trusted specialists’ have a successful track record in combining Dyneema Purity® fiber with innovative textile solutions used in many commercial orthopedic and cardiovascular medical devices. 

DSM Biomedical recommends the following trusted specialists:

US

Europe

Manufacturing facility

Growing demand for Dyneema Purity® fibers spurs expansion

As our customers respond to emerging trends – increased interest in minimally invasive surgery, continuing economic concerns, and demographic shifts – their demand for Dyneema Purity® fiber has increased significantly. Our commitment to maintaining our leadership in biomaterials and helping our customers from bench to market is reflected in our world class Dyneema Purity® fiber manufacturing facility.

Manufactory facility in Greenville

Located in Greenville, North Carolina, this facility will bring increased production capacity to help medical device companies use our UHMWPE fibers to develop new, innovative devices that  perform better and improve patient care.

Our expanded manufacturing capabilities offer customers significant advantages, including the ability to develop new generations of UHMWPE fibers and faster time-to-market thanks to dedicated production of medical grade fibers. All the technology inside the facility is proprietary to DSM, with the line will be operated and validated under ISO 13485:2003 quality standards.

A good ‘green’ company

In keeping with DSM’s global sustainability goal, we’ve incorporated energy efficiency and other ‘green’ targets into this facility. It’s more environmentally sustainable, using significantly less energy than our standard manufacturing plants, with far lower emissions. And it will support a much more efficient use of raw materials and processing techniques. We are also developing several packaging innovations for our products that will minimize waste.

This plant is an important milestone in our ongoing commitment to support our customers as they develop and produce innovative medical devices that will brighten lives of people around the world.

Press releases

 

White papers

 

Page updated on 29 Oct 2012

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