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Improve patient outcomes with safer ventilator tubing

Approximately 2 million hospital patients placed on mechanical ventilators each year are expected to develop ventilator acquired pneumonia (VAP), which has a mortality rate of up to 13% in the US. Respiratory tubing is prone to building up condensate and creating a risk of microaspiration. Bacteria-filled microdroplets can be re-aspirated back into the lungs and increase the patient’s likelihood of developing VAP – a risk ¬that increases the longer someone needs to be intubated and undergo continuous mechanical ventilation.

Learn about ventilator tubing material challenges

Ventilators are often designed with moisture condensation traps that help prevent fluid from building up. However, in addition to creating more work for nurses and clinicians, opening a breathing circuit to drain this trap also increases the risk of bacteria-laden fluid that collects above the endotracheal tube (ET) leaking past the cuff and entering the lungs. Polyolefin materials, which are most commonly used to manufacture respiratory tubing, don’t allow condensate to escape. Ventilator tubing developers stand to gain a competitive advantage by leveraging a copolyester elastomer material capable of transporting moisture out through the tube wall to the ambient environment. This approach to mitigating rainout can significantly minimize condensation and may eliminate the need for a moisture trap altogether – lowering the risk of VAP, simplifying breathing circuit designs and driving cost savings.

Understand why Arnitel offers a superior solution 

DSM’s Arnitel® VT material solutions respond to ongoing challenges and changing requirements that medical device suppliers face. With the performance characteristics of high-strength rubber combined with outstanding flexibility, the thermoplastic elastomer compound is optimized for medical tubing applications designed for high-stress clinical settings:

  • Helps to mitigate ventilator acquired pneumonia
  • Enables better patient outcomes
  • Parts consolidation and cost savings - eliminates a water trap.
  • Low E&Ls and VOCs

 

Explore DSM grades for respiratory tubing

Arnitel® VT3108

Arnitel® is a high-performance ThermoPlastic Copolyester (TPC) that offers you a unique combination of flexibility, high temperature resistance and strength - plus excellent processing characteristics.

In industries ranging from automotive to E&E, Arnitel® is increasingly being as a lighter, smarter, greener alternative to conventional rubbers – reducing environmental impact and ultimately, system costs.

The product is supported by an experienced and knowledgeable global team continuously working on new ideas and applications, as well as exploring new markets. By listening to your needs and understanding your process and products, we develop solutions that make a real difference.

  • Film Extrusion
  • Highly Breathable
  • Drying of Material Required
  • Food Contact Quality
DSM Plasticsfinder
Download data sheet (154KB)

Arnitel® VT3104

Arnitel® is a high-performance ThermoPlastic Copolyester (TPC) that offers you a unique combination of flexibility, high temperature resistance and strength - plus excellent processing characteristics.

In industries ranging from automotive to E&E, Arnitel® is increasingly being as a lighter, smarter, greener alternative to conventional rubbers – reducing environmental impact and ultimately, system costs.

The product is supported by an experienced and knowledgeable global team continuously working on new ideas and applications, as well as exploring new markets. By listening to your needs and understanding your process and products, we develop solutions that make a real difference.

  • Film Extrusion
  • Food Contact Quality
DSM Plasticsfinder
Download data sheet (155KB)

Arnitel® VT3118

Arnitel® is a high-performance ThermoPlastic Copolyester (TPC) that offers you a unique combination of flexibility, high temperature resistance and strength - plus excellent processing characteristics.

In industries ranging from automotive to E&E, Arnitel® is increasingly being as a lighter, smarter, greener alternative to conventional rubbers – reducing environmental impact and ultimately, system costs.

The product is supported by an experienced and knowledgeable global team continuously working on new ideas and applications, as well as exploring new markets. By listening to your needs and understanding your process and products, we develop solutions that make a real difference.

  • Film Extrusion
  • Highly Breathable
  • Drying of Material Required
  • Food Contact Quality
DSM Plasticsfinder
Download data sheet (151KB)

Contact us for more information

Direct and easy access to our broad portfolio of high-performance plastics: request a quote or order a sample. You can also simply ask our respiratory tubing experts.

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Order a sample
Contact respiratory tubing experts

Gain more respiratory tubing innovation insights

  • Improving patient outcomes with safer ventilator tubing

    Medical equipment manufacturers are scaling up production of ventilators to help people worldwide fight respiratory illness. Yet, moisture trapped inside respiratory tubing can cause ventilator acquired pneumonia, which puts the health of patients in jeopardy. DSM’s Arnitel® VT materials offer moisture vapor transmission capabilities to minimize rainout that forms inside tubing, and support design simplification that may eliminate the need for moisture traps.

    Read blog

  • Delivering medical devices trusted by patients and healthcare professionals

    High demand for medical devices and drug delivery equipment is creating opportunities for manufacturers. Yet approximately 30-40% of equipment recalls can be traced back to improper material selection. Protecting your reputation requires working with a material partner prepared to help you accurately assess how final parts perform in clinical settings and overcome supply chain issues. We at DSM Engineering Materials offer a proven material solutions portfolio created to help you develop a broad range of best-in-class medical devices.

    READ BLOG

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