Medical Devices

The field of medicine is constantly in need of innovative materials solutions. When PARI GmbH developed their eFlow electronic nebulizer for cystic fibrosis therapy, the demands on its construction material were high. The device requires high-temperature sterilization, is constantly under mechanical stress and contains very small components requiring a material that can be formed with very high precision. These constraints led PARI to chose Hostaform MT from Ticona as their construction material.

Small, silent and effective
Pari chooses Hostaform® MT® for its new electronic nebuliser

Today new, small and highly effective inhalation systems satisfy the high demands of the pharmaceutical industry. By making therapies as efficient as possible, they spare active ingredients, costs and time. A challenge, both for the manufacturers of medical technology products and for the safety and longevity of all materials used. That’s why PARI GmbH of Starnberg, Germany chose the engineering polymer “Hostaform MT” from Ticona for its eFlow®, the new generation of electronic nebuliser.

Tedious, expensive inhalation is now a thing of the past: eFlow®, the new electronic inhalation system from PARI, enables effective, rapid inhalation therapy. In contrast to conventional jet and ultrasonic nebulisers for respiratory tract therapy, eFlow® uses a membrane with microscopic-sized jet pores to generate aerosol droplets, the vibration of which is excited by means of a piezoelectric actuator.

The medication cover made of Hostaform MT is a crucial element for the perfect operation of the device. Opened and then re-closed each time the device is filled, the cover continuously and reliably resists high mechanical stresses. “Our Hostaform MT grades are obviously the perfect choice for such applications. The outstanding wear resistance of Hostaform MT along with its excellent mechanical properties and its ability to hold tight tolerances enable the component to withstand high stress without damage – significantly contributing to the safety and long service life of the device,” explains Thomas Gallem, head of product design at PARI. “And thanks to the material’s heat deflection temperature, the medically required sterlisation of the nebuliser is no problem, either.” Moreover, the Hostaform MT grades meet all of the special requirements typical of medical applications – purity and biocompatibility specifications, for example.

Precision down to the smallest detail
The decisive advantages of Hostaform MT start to become evident even during assembly: the technical polymer from Ticona can be processed with extremely high precision. Even small geometries such as the latching guide tab of the medication cover can be formed to such tight tolerances that they always mate perfectly with the bayonet lock assembly. The cover mechanism also benefits in particular from the outstanding slip-friction properties of the medical technology Hostaform grade. The company initially developed eFlow® specifically to meet the requirements of cystic fibrosis patients – and already plans to expand to other application areas, as well. But one thing is already clear: patients benefit from the simple and safe handling characteristics of the innovative, compact and nonetheless highly effective inhalation system.