4 Innovative Uses for Wire in the Medical Industry
Since the 1700s, wire has been used all over the world for an infinite number of purposes, and continues to be one of the most versatile products in the world in the medical industry.
If you’re curious about how wire can be used in surgical and other medical uses, here are four of the most innovative uses for wire in the medical industry.
1. Guidewire Used in Surgery
Significant advances in wire development have made it possible to reduce the need for invasive surgery by using guidewires during keyhole procedures.
Not only does this reduce recovery time for the patient significantly, but it reduces the time that the OR is occupied, allowing for a greater number of patients to be treated in a shorter period of time.
Guidewires can be used for a wide range of non-invasive procedures like lumpectomies, catheterisation and cannulation
2. Sculptures
Increasingly, art projects are being focused around hospitals and their community spirit. Using wire in sculptures is a great way to showcase great art while keeping the sculpture easy to sanitise to reduce the likelihood of infection.
UK-based companies like Ormiston Wire have worked with British designer Thomas Heatherwick to create the Bleigiessen Sculpture for a biomedical research charity in London. The resulting spellbinding sculpture is created from 15 tonnes of glass and just under a million metres of wire.
3. Repairing Fractures
Wire is also widely used to help repair fractured bones while they heal. Kirschner wires are usually inserted into the fractured pieces of bone to hold them together during the healing process. These rods can then be removed via a non-invasive outpatient procedure later on without the need for a second surgery.
As a result of using Kirschner wires, the bones will heal in the right place, reducing the risk of potential weakness for any future breaks.
4. Stent Insertion
Used primarily for coronary angioplasty, stents use mesh wire encasing a balloon to widen clogged arteries to treat heart attacks and coronary heart disease.
The wire mesh is left in place permanently to keep the artery wide and prevent another blockage. Stents are usually made from stainless steel, platinum-chromium, or cobalt-chromium.
They are often coated with a polymer and a drug to prevent scar tissue forming that could cause a re-narrowing of the artery. These stents have resulted in a much longer life expectancy for those living with heart disease.
Do you have any tips for using wire in the medical industry? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
