A medical appliance suitable for use in direct or indirect contact with blood, such as an artificial valve, artificial blood vessel, blood transfusion set, solution infusion set, or blood bag characterized by being composed of 100 parts by weight of polyvinyl chloride and as plasticizer 50 to 100 parts by weight of thermoplastic polyurethane of the polyester type, said polyurethane having a softening point of about 70.degree.C and giving no spot other than that of the origin at the same position loaded the test sample onto the plate in thin-layer chromatogram.
A plastic bag containing a platelet concentrate is disclosed wherein the viability of platelets remains at a high level even after storage at 22.degree. C. for up to five days. The bag in which the platelet concentrate is stored comprises walls of polyvinyl chloride film containing tri 2-ethylhexyl trimellitate as plasticizer together with epoxidized vegetable oils for heat stabilization of the film. The film may also contain metal soaps in preferred formulations.
Blood-compatible, chlorine-free polymers such as a flexible, non-toxic, sterilizable polyester plastic formulation may contain from 5 to 70 percent by weight of a blood-extractable plasticizer such as di-2-ethylhexylphthalate, to cause blood which is stored in contact with the polymer to exhibit a surprisingly low hemolysis rate when compared with corresponding polymers which are free of the plasticizer. Accordingly, blood bags, tubing and other medical blood-contacting devices may be advantageously made from these polymers.
A bag suitable for the storage, deep-freezing and transfusion of blood and blood components formed of a calendered or extruded foil of plasticizer-free polyurethane of a thickness of about 0.1-0.5 mm, a Shore hardness A of about 60-85, temperature resistance up to about 160.degree. C. and down to about -196.degree. C. without change of properties. The bag can be used in combination with fittings and tubings of the same material to provide an overall plasticizer-free polyurethane system. The bag can be sterilized, is capable of low temperature storage, and exhibits other desirable properties without affecting the quality of its contents.
A method for making a medical instrument from vinyl chloride resin. The method comprises forming two vinyl chloride members and adhering the vinyl chloride resin members together. The adhering of the vinyl chloride members together comprises applying to one or both surfaces of portions of the vinyl chloride resin members to be adhered together a liquid lubricant, which is compatible with vinyl chloride resin and which dissolves vinyl chloride resins and then joining the portions to be adhered together in close adhesion with each other. This method produces vinyl chloride resin medical instruments in a safer fashion than those produced by using an organic solvent.
The blending of small amounts of a polyurethane elastomer with an internally plasticized vinyl chloride copolymer improves the abrasion resistance, elasticity, softness or "hand", and low temperature flexibility of films made from the resulting blend.
