Medical Textiles (August 2019) · A calcium alginate fabric that can be used as a wound dressing is disclosed by Qingdao Bright Moon Seaweed Group of China 3 An improved surgical

A calcium alginate fabric that can be used as awound dressing is disclosed by Qingdao BrightMoon Seaweed Group of China 3

An improved surgical mesh prosthesis for use inhernia repair has been developed by Covidien ofMansfield, Massachusetts, USA 7

Conductive Transfers of Barnsley, UK, has developeda process to screen-print circuits that are stretchableand washable for wearable technologies 9

Sweden-based hygiene company Essity is investingin a facility for the production of pulp based on fibrefrom agricultural by-products 10

Nonwovens producer Suominen of Finland haslaunched a hydroentangled product that replaces atopsheet and acquisition- and-distribution layer 11

Engineers from the University of Edinburgh andEmpa have developed a thin artificial skin usingnanoscale technology 12

August 2019 Editor: Geoff Fisher

Highlights this month: full contents on page 2…

Wound treatmentEasy-to-apply dressing with surfacesof different tackiness

A silicone gel-coated wound dressing in which the

substrate surfaces have different levels of tackiness –

making it easier to apply – has been developed by KCI

USA of San Antonio, Texas, USA.

The dressing (1) outlined by the company in US

Patent 10 314 748 includes:

a substrate layer;•

a tacky silicone coating composition;•

upper and lower cover/release sheets.•

The fluid-permeable substrate (6) can be a gauze,

mesh, web or fabric formed from a woven, nonwoven

or knitted textile, with open apertures. It preferably has

a basis weight of 50–150 g.m–2 and can be made from

any medically acceptable material, such as cellulose,

©2019 International Newsletters Ltd, UK: No part of this publication

may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any

form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, record-

ing or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.

Medical Textiles is published monthly by International

Newsletters Ltd and is part of Technical-Textiles.Net,

available online:

http://www.technical-textiles.net

Figure 1:

Perspective exploded view of a silicone gel-coated wound

dressing in which the surfaces have different tackiness,

developed by KCI USA.



polyolefins, polyesters (PESs) or polyamides (PAs); an

especially suitable material is cellulose acetate gauze.

The silicone is typically a hydrophobic, tacky, cross-

linked gel. This penetrates the substrate to form a

single, chemically homogeneous silicone phase on the

upper and lower surfaces of the substrate.

The nominal total coating weight of the silicone can be,

for instance, 120–130 g.m–2.

The cover sheets (7, 8) can be made from a film of

polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) or fluorocarbons,

or papers coated with these materials. Examples of

silicone-coated release papers are the Poly Slik range

from Loparex of Cary, North Carolina, USA.

The upper surface of the coated substrate is less tacky

than the lower surface, such that the upper release

sheet can be removed from the upper surface more

readily than the lower release sheet can be removed

from the lower surface. For instance, the tackiness of

the coated upper surface can be around 50% greater

than the tackiness of the coated lower surface, as

determined by an adhesive loop tack strength test.

The advantage of the upper and lower silicone coatings

having different levels of tackiness is that while both

surfaces can be protected before use by cover sheets,

one of these sheets can be removed more easily than the

other, which makes application of the dressing easier

than would otherwise be the case.

Further, the resulting exposed, less-adherent first surface

is suitable for application to the wound area, says KCI.

The second cover sheet can then be removed to

expose a more adherent surface for application of

secondary dressing layers, such as absorbent layers.

See also: US Patent 10 314 748, Silicone gel-coated

wound dressing; Applicant: KCI USA Inc; Inventors:

Deborah Addison, Sally Stephens and Rachel Hadley.

Contact: KCI USA Inc. Tel: +1 (210) 255-5537.

http://www.kci1.com

http://www.technical-textiles.net ©2019 International Newsletters Ltd

Medical Textiles August 2019

2

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Printed by Kopy Kats, Worcestershire, UK.

Contents August 2019

Wound treatment1 Easy-to-apply dressing with surfaces of different tackiness

3 Calcium alginate fabric

Prostheses3 Improved delivery of stent-graft prosthesis

5 Hernia repair device minimizes post-operative adhesions

5 Detecting twisting in implantable devices

6 Stent-graft with selectively enhanced permeability

7 Hernia repair device enables correct positioning

and fixing

Garments8 Reusable, rear-opening isolation gown with easy-

release fasteners

9 Printable, stretchable and washable electronics for

wearable technologies

Hygiene10 Essity invests in straw-pulp technology at Mannheim site

11 Nonwoven replaces topsheet and acquisition-and-

distribution layer

Business12 Milliken acquires maker of bandages and

compression systems

Tissue engineering12 Synthetic skin could aid wound healing


http://www.technical-textiles.online/IPACCESS/


Calcium alginate fabric

A calcium alginate fabric that can be used as a wound

dressing has been developed by Qingdao Bright Moon

Seaweed Group.

The material overcomes the problems of low strength

and poor hygroscopicity that are inherent in existing

fabrics for wound dressings, says the company of

Qingdao, Shandong, China.

The calcium alginate fabric outlined in International

Patent Publication WO2019/100711 is designed to keep

wounds in a wet environment to accelerate healing, and

is made by preparing calcium alginate and sodium alginate,

washing, dehydrating, pulping, forming and freeze-drying.

Although described as a nonwoven, fabrication of

the material is relatively simple and similar to a

papermaking process; it does not require any

conventional nonwoven processes, such as carding,

laying, needling or hydroentangling.

The sodium alginate is prepared by washing brown

algae and adding sodium carbonate, then carrying out

air-flotation separation.This is then purified by adding

diatomaceous earth or activated carbon for adsorption

filtration to obtain a clarified glue solution into which

chlorine is introduced to inhibit the growth of bacteria

and other microorganisms.

Calcium chloride solution is added to the bleached

clarified glue solution to obtain flocculated calcium

alginate. Excess calcium chloride is removed by adding

hydrochloric acid, then washing with water to remove

excess acid until the pH of the calcium alginate

solution is 7–8.

The solution is dehydrated then pulped into short

(3–5-mm) calcium alginate fibres by mechanical stirring.

The fabric is formed using a papermaking process by

squeezing and dehydrating through a compression

roller to obtain a wet-state calcium alginate fabric,

followed by freeze-drying at -4 to -50°C for 35–40

hours under a vacuum.

The calcium alginate gel is separated during the freeze-

drying process to form a porous sponge structure and

the organic solvent can be removed.

The inventors say the resulting calcium alginate

nonwoven fabric can absorb more than 27 times its

weight of moisture and has a breaking strength of more

than 20 cN.tex–1, which is higher than that of a typical

100% cotton hydroentangled fabric.

Further, the yield of finished products is high,

production costs are low, damage to the calcium

alginate fibre is minor and the resulting fabric is safe and

hygienic, Qingdao Bright Moon Seaweed Group states.

See also: International Patent Publication

WO2019/100711, Calcium alginate non-woven fabric and

preparation method therefor; Applicant: Qingdao Bright

Moon Seaweed Group; Inventors: Dou Youtao, Yang

Zhaoyue, Xu Zebin, Pang Haixiang and An Fengxin.

Contact: Qingdao Bright Moon Seaweed Group

Co Ltd. Tel: +86 (400) 880-7699. Fax: +86 (532)

8661-2020. Email: [email protected];

http://www.bmsg.com

ProsthesesImproved delivery of stent-graft prosthesis

A stent-graft prosthesis that can be assembled at its site

of implantation, rather than being pre-manufactured,

has been developed by Swiss Capital – Engineering of

Zürich, Switzerland.

The method described in International Patent

Publication WO2019/106057 is said to reduce

operation time and delivers the device easily and

reliably to lateral branch vessels, thereby reducing

©2019 International Newsletters Ltd http://www.technical-textiles.net

August 2019 Medical Textiles

3

hygroscopicity

The capacity of a substance to react to the moisture

content of air by absorbing or releasing water vapour.


complication rates and risk, particularly for elderly

patients, according to the company.

The main prosthesis (1) features a wall (600) extending

from a side branch (3) that includes an orifice (610) for

receiving a guiding element (10). An overlap region

(630) is provided for its interconnection with another

stent-graft prosthesis.

The orifice is described as a guiding mate for receiving a

guiding element. The end of the guiding element is

arranged at a connection point (11) of the prosthesis.

The prosthesis is advanced over the guiding element

through the orifice until it stops. This provides a

defined position for the prosthesis during delivery

and implantation.

Preferably, the guiding element is made of a

biodegradable material and can be a textile thread or

suture, optionally with a radiopaque marker;

alternatively, it can be a wire.

The stent-graft prosthesis can comprise a

biocompatible graft material, such as polyethylene

terephthalate (PET) or expanded polytetrafluoro -

ethylene (ePTFE), which provides a blood barrier,

supported by a framework to provide

mechanical support.

Ideally, the side branch is integral with the main body

(2) of the prosthesis and is 1.0–1.5 cm long. This

provides stiffness and resists handling, and also allows

the side branch to form a tight connection with a

covered stent-graft prostheses extending from it.

Additionally, this allows the use of a stent-graft

prosthesis in a system that is assembled at the

implantation site – it is not pre-manufactured for a

specific patient.

This, says the company, represents an advantage over

existing systems that use pre-built, patient-specific

prostheses, in which an imaging system is used to scan

the vessel system including the target site, such as a

weakened aorta. The prosthesis is then manufactured

based on the imaging data and delivered to the surgeon

for implantation.

However, this can take several days or weeks, during

which time the anatomy of the vessel may have changed.

The waiting time is also undesirable as the patient is

often in immediate need of the prosthesis, so as to

avoid rupture of an aortic aneurysm, for example.

The stent-graft prostheses disclosed in the Patent can

be manufactured in a range of different sizes that are

available for implantation.


WO2019/106057, A stent-graft prosthesis, system and

method for improved delivery of a stent-graft prosthesis;

Applicant: Swiss Capital – Engineering AG; Inventor:

Michael Szente Varga.



4

Figure 2:

Schematic illustration of a stent-graft prosthesis that can be

assembled at the implantation site, developed by Swiss

Capital – Engineering.


Contact: Swiss Capital Engineering AG. Tel: +41

(44) 885-0000. Fax: +41 (44) 885-0001.

Hernia repair device minimizes post-operative adhesions

An abdominal hernia repair device that limits the

incidence of post-operative adhesions through the use

of a smooth, two-dimensional (2D) hydrophobic

silicone surface has been developed by US inventors.

The surgically implantable prosthesis featured in US

Patent 10 285 794 also improves the biocompatibility

of synthetic three-dimensional (3D) mesh structures

into which autogenous (self-generated) tissue will more

readily grow during the healing process. This is

accomplished by coating the 3D mesh surface with

hydrophilic and hygroscopic biocompatible materials.

Incidences of adhesions to the hernia repair device can

be further reduced using salinomycin, a novel small

molecule that blocks myofibroblast (scar cell)

formation, the inventors explain.

The device is formed from a biologically compatible,

flexible and non-porous implantable material that

reinforces tissue and closes tissue defects, particularly

in the abdominal cavity. It also creates a non-porous

barrier that physically isolates the reinforcing material

from areas likely to form adhesions, such as the

abdominal organs.

The device essentially comprises two layers:

an upper layer comprised of a silicone elastomer•

membrane with a thickness of 25–125 µm;

a lower layer comprised of a knitted polypropylene•

(PP) monofilament mesh fabric.

The upper layer includes a series of slits in its surface in

a regular pattern, such as an alternating perpendicular

orientation, both horizontal and vertical.

The lower layer is formed by weft knitting using a

1x1 alternating stitch, with the slits on the surface

either following the weft direction of the lower

layer or crossing the weft direction of the lower

layer perpendicularly.

One or both of the layers can be treated with

medicinal or therapeutic substances, such as hypo -

allergenic type I porcine collagen peptide,

extracellular matrix or other biologicals (such as aloe

vera), to enhance ingrowth and healing. The lower

layer (and optionally the upper layer) can further be

treated with an anti-scar compound, such as

salinomycin, which is also an antimicrobial agent.

The slits are positioned in the upper layer such that the

hernia repair device has essentially zero porosity when

no stretching tension is placed on it. Further, the

porosity of the prosthesis is variable proportional to

the amount of stretching tension and the direction in

which this tension is applied.

The hernia repair device described in the Patent is said

to provide a lightweight, porous surgical mesh fabric

and a hydrophobic physical barrier. It also provides a

large-pore mesh producing tension-free repair, without

too much stretch or elongation (i.e. not greater than

35%), yet is still thin and can be inserted with a large-

bore needle using laparoscopic techniques.

See also: US Patent 10 285 794, Hernia repair device

and methods; Applicants and inventors: E. Aubrey

Woodroof, Richard P. Phipps, Collyn F. Woeller and

Lipton Laverne Martin.

Contact: Law Offices of Steven W. Webb.

Tel: +1 (760) 295-9930.

Detecting twisting in implantable devices

A way of determining whether long, linear

textile elements are twisted when passed around

tissue and/or bones has been developed by Cousin

Biotech. Such textile elements can be used in the

treatment of lower-back pain and offer good

mechanical resistance owing to their braided

construction using several yarns, according to the

company of Wervicq-Sud, France.



5


It adds that it is important that such devices are not

twisted during implantation, as this can have an

abrasive effect on the surrounding tissue; twisting can

also reduce mechanical performance of the device.

Further, tension exerted on a twisted portion can

exacerbate the shearing effect on the tissue.

Described in US Patent 2019/0142476, the implantable

device (1) comprises a flat and flexible long, linear textile

element (3) and free ends (11, 13), as well as an identifi-

cation device (20) that shows when the textile element

forms a loop portion (5).

The identification device comprises at least one visual

and/or tactile identification means. For instance, one

set of yarns in the triaxially braided textile element can

be of a different colour.

If the element is twisted in the loop portion, it is possible

by means of the identification device (by superposing the

two free ends) to verify the orientation of the external

face relative to the internal face—without verifying the

arrangement of the loop portion directly.

Figure 3 shows the long, linear textile element in

cooperation with a connector (7) and an implantable

rod (9); it can be used alone or in combination with

other implants.

The free ends of the textile element are joined

together by means of the connector after the element

has been tensioned using a device (10).

The textile element can comprise multifilament, mono -

filament and/or spun yarn, and is preferably made from

a polymer such as: polyethylene terephthalate (PET); a

polyamide (PA) such as PA 6, PA 6,6, PA 4,6, PA 11 or

PA 12; polyolefins such as polypropylene (PP) or

polyethylene (PE); or polylactic acid (PLA).

The implantable device disclosed in the Patent is said to

be both simple to use and simple to manufacture,

without affecting its mechanical resistance.

See also: US Patent 2019/0142476, Flat flexible textile

longiline element comprising a device for identifying its

opposed a and b sides; Applicant: Cousin Biotech.

Inventor: Stephane Noel.

Contact: Cousin Biotech.

Tel: +33 (3) 2014-4120.

http://www.cousin-biotech.com

Stent-graft with selectivelyenhanced permeability

A graft material featuring openings that enhance the

permeability of a stent-graft prosthesis made from it

has been developed by Medtronic Vascular. The

porosity permits tissue to integrate with the material,

which is also resistant to endoleaks and demonstrates

sufficient mechanical strength, says the company of

Santa Rosa, California, USA.



6

Figure 3:

Schematic representation of an implantable device

developed by Cousin Biotech that can determine whether

the long, linear textile element is twisted when passed

around tissue and/or bones.


Featured in International Patent Publication

WO2019/108485, the openings (120) in the graft

material (102) are created in precisely controlled

locations and patterns one the side of the stent-graft

(100) through the use of a laser. The power and focus

of the laser can be adjusted to control the diameter

and shape of the openings.

The woven graft material can be hydrophobic, such as

polyester terephthalate (PET) or expanded polyester

terephthalate (ePET).

The circular openings shown in Figure 4 are generally

20–250 µm in diameter. During their formation, the

laser forms a fused region that is shaped as an annulus

and extend outwards from the circumference of

the openings.

The company explains that the openings have an

inherent resistance to wear, as the filaments along the

circumference of each are bonded together by the heat

of the laser, yielding a stable textile graft material.

The openings can be filled with a bioactive material to

increase the mechanical performance of the graft

material and to encourage tissue growth. Further, the

bioactive material helps to prevent leaks through the

graft material.

The bioactive material can also degrade over a

timescale that matches the speed of tissue ingrowth.

As the tissue grows into the openings and replaces the

bioactive material, endoleaks are prevented and the

migration-resistance of the stent-graft is improved.

Examples of suitable bioactive materials include

polymer polyglycolic-lactic acid and polyglycerol

sebacate, which can be applied by techniques such as

spraying, coating or electrospinning.


WO2019/108485, Graft material having selectively and

advanced permeability structure and method; Applicant:

Medtronic Vascular Inc; Inventors: Zachary Borglin,

Zachary Petruska, Keith Perkins and Julie Benton.

Contact: Medtronic Vascular Inc. Tel: +1 (707)

525-0111. https://www.medtronic.com

Hernia repair device enables correct positioning and fixing

A surgical mesh prosthesis for use in hernia repair has

been developed by Covidien, a subsidiary of

Medtronic. The device is designed to position the

surgical mesh properly and fix it securely to

surrounding tissue, says the company of Mansfield,

Massachusetts, USA.



7

endoleak

A persistent blood flow outside the lumen of an

endoluminal graft, caused by incomplete sealing or

exclusion of the aneurysm sac.

Figure 4:

Perspective view of a stent-graft with selectively enhanced

permeability developed by Medtronic Vascular.


Disclosed in US Patent 10 258 449, the hernia repair

device (200) includes a mesh (210) that extends

across a tissue defect, and a number of filaments (220

a–d). These filaments are coupled to the mesh at a

first annular support member (212) at the outer

periphery and extend from a second annular support

member (214) at the central portion (216) of

the mesh.

The device shown in Figure 5 has four filaments

radially symmetrically spaced about the mesh at the

12 o’clock, 3 o’clock, 6 o’clock and 9 o’clock positions.

Such a configuration permits the mesh to be

manoeuvred into position by manipulating one or

more of the filaments. For example, to draw the hernia

repair device into approximation with tissue at the 12

o’clock position, the surgeon pulls on filament 220a.

To inhibit lateral movement, the surgeon simply

retains filament 220c.

Each filament includes a needle (224) at a free end on

which is positioned a removable, protective sheath

(230) made from a biocompatible polymeric material.

This helps avoid injury owing to contact with the tips

(225) of the needles, as well as catching or tearing of

tissue, surgical materials and/or clothing during

handling, preparation and insertion of the hernia

repair device.

Each filament also includes a number of barbs (228)

along its length. The filaments can therefore be

advanced through tissue in a first direction, but are

inhibited from retreating back through tissue in the

opposite direction. The barbs also allow incremental

or ratcheting manipulation of the hernia repair device

relative to surrounding tissue.

See also: US Patent 10 258 449, Hernia repair device

and method; Applicant: Covidien LP; Inventors:

Matthew D. Cohen and Michael Prescott.

Contact: Medtronic Minimally Invasive Therapies

Group. Tel: +1 (763) 514-4000. Fax: +1 (800) 637-

9775. Email: [email protected];

https://www.medtronic.com/covidien

GarmentsReusable, rear-opening isolationgown with easy-release fasteners

A re-usable rear-opening isolation gown that is easy to

remove has been developed by Standard Textile.

Outlined in US Patent 2019/0166930, the gown (10)

features easy-release fasteners that provide a safe and

secure hold when fastened, but permit the garment to

be removed easily, quickly and more safely than other

re-usable options, says the company of Cincinnati,

Ohio, USA. The gown is removed in a conventional

pull-forward manner, but without the risk of tearing

the gown.

The fasteners (12, 14) are provided on the inner and

outer surfaces (28, 30) at the back (22) of the gown for

securing the right and left portions (50, 52) together

when the gown is worn.

As shown in Figure 6, two fasteners are provided on

the gown to provide a secure, full-body fit and to

facilitate ease of adjustment, donning and removal of



8

Figure 5:

Top view of a hernia repair device developed by Medtronic

subsidiary Covidien.


the gown – without risk of transferring potentially

harmful microorganisms, body fluids and/or particulate

material to the neck or head of the wearer.

One fastener (12) is a hook-and-loop fastener having a

mating hook and loop part (12a, 12b). Suitable examples

include Hook 65 and Loop 2000, Hook 88 and Loop

2000, and Hook 46 and Loop 8000 Hi-Garde from

Velcro USA of Manchester, New Hampshire, USA, and

Omni-Tape hook and loop fastener, which has alternating

rows of hooks and loops on a single side, available from

WBC Industries of Westfield, New Jersey, USA.

The resulting easy-release fastener has an average peel

strength of no greater than 10.3 kPa (1.5 pounds) per

inch of width using the ASTM D5170 test method and

an average shear strength of no greater than 172 kPa

(25 pounds per square inch) using the ASTM D5169

test method. This allows the fastener to come undone

when the gown is pulled forward with enough force to

remove it.

Further, the fastener is made of a material that can

repeatedly withstand commercial laundering conditions,

such as high temperature, acidic and/or basic pH

conditions, typically encountered by re-usable gowns.

The second fastener (14), which is not an easy-release

fastener, can be a tie fastener having cooperating first

and second tie parts (14a, 14b) such as a twill tape.

Part 14a is sewn into the vertical edge (58) or hem of

the right portion of the central body (34) between the

top (24) and bottom (26) of the gown, at a location

that approximates the abdominal region or waist area

of the wearer.

The cooperating or corresponding second tie 14b can

be sewn to the outer surface (30) of the left portion of

the central body of the gown in a similar position to the

first tie.

The central body, sleeves (36, 38) and terminal cuffs

(42) of the gown can be constructed of various

materials typically used in isolation gowns, including

polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and/or cotton.

The fabric can be a woven, nonwoven or

knitted construction.

See also: US Patent 2019/0166930, Reusable, rear

opening isolation gown with easy release fastener;

Applicant: Standard Textile Co Inc; Inventors: Richard

Stewart and Kimberly A. Turner.

Contact: Standard Textile Co Inc. Tel: +1 (800)

999-0400. Fax: +1 (513) 761-0467.

http://www.standardtextile.com

Printable, stretchable and washableelectronics for wearable technologies

Conductive Transfers has developed a process to

screen-print circuits that are stretchable and washable

for use in the latest wearable solutions, including

medical applications.

The company of Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK, says

the process eliminates the wires and plastic substrates

found in existing wearables, yet retains the advantages

of printing onto a sheet of plastic.

Screen printing is used to build up layers of ink,

including one or more conducting layers, onto a coated



9

Figure 6:

Back elevational view of an isolation gown developed by

Standard Textile, shown unfastened.


plastic sheet (transfer film). The conducting layers are

encapsulated between two electrically insulating ink

layers and can also be stretchable.

An adhesive layer is added and completes the conductive

transfer, which can then be heat-pressed onto any

surface including textiles. The transfer film is finally

peeled off, leaving the ink stack bonded to the substrate.

Speaking at the recent Techtextil trade fair in Frankfurt am

Main, Germany, Director Paul Brook said the technology

can be used to add functionality, including sensors, heaters

and surface mount components, to existing garment

designs while retaining high levels of comfort.

In November 2018, the company announced an

agreement with Atlantic Therapeutics of Galway,

Ireland, to manufacture and supply stretchable and

washable circuits for its new Innovo product for the

treatment of urinary incontinence. The electrode

circuits used in Innovo shorts are screen printed at

Conductive Transfer’s 1100 m2 factory in Barnsley.

Contact: Paul Brook, Director, Conductive

Transfers Ltd. Tel: +44 (114) 321-6596. Email:

[email protected];

https://www.conductivetransfers.com; or: Steve

Atkinson, Chief Executive Officer, Atlantic

Therapeutics. Tel: +353 (91) 475470. Email:

[email protected];

http://www.atlantictherapeutics.com

HygieneEssity invests in straw-pulptechnology at Mannheim site

Global hygiene and health group Essity is investing

SEK400 million (US$42 million) in a facility for the

production of pulp from fibre derived from plant-based

agricultural by-products.

The facility will be at Essity’s tissue plant in Mannheim,

Germany, with production expected to commence in

the second half of 2020.



10

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The Stockholm, Sweden-based group has signed a

licence agreement to secure exclusive rights to new

technology that enables pulp of the same quality as

conventional wood-based pulp to be produced from

such fibre at a competitive cost.

The source of the fibre is agricultural by-products such

as wheat straw, which is often made into compost or

incinerated. Essity is currently evaluating the use of this

alternative fibre as a complement to raw materials

based on virgin and recovered fibres.

The process is expected to reduce the use of water,

energy and chemicals, while the by-product of the

integrated pulping process will be further refined as a

substitute for oil-based chemicals.

It has not been decided if the alternative fibre pulp

will be used in the production of disposable hygiene

products. A company spokesperson said the

materialwill be used in some of the tissue product

manufactured at the Mannheim plant, although this will

be confirmed when the new process is operational

during the second half of 2020.

Contact: Essity AB (publ). Tel: +46 (8) 788-5100.

Email: [email protected]; http://www.essity.com

Nonwoven replaces topsheet andacquisition-and-distribution layer

Helsinki, Finland-based nonwovens producer Suominen

has launched a hydroentangled (spunlaced) product

designed to replace the topsheet and acquisition-and-

distribution layer (ADL), in an absorbent hygiene product.

Category Manager Johanna Sirén says that the

nonwoven (Fibrella Combo) offers consistent

performance in hygiene products because multiple,

separate layers are not required; it can also be

used directly on top of the absorbent core. This can

support ultra-thin product design of such products

as incontinence and feminine hygiene pads and

panty liners.



11

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Compared with a spunbond topsheet and airlaid

ADL combination, Fibrella Combo is said to have a

four-times-faster acquisition rate, imparting an

improved feeling of dryness, faster moisture

distribution in the core and is 40% lighter in weight.

Contact: Johanna Sirén, Category Manager,

Suominen Corporation. Tel: +358 (50) 520-5360.

Email: [email protected];

https://www.suominen.fi

BusinessMilliken acquires maker of bandagesand compression systems

Milliken & Co, a producer of performance and protective

textiles, speciality chemicals and floorcoverings, has

acquired Andover Healthcare, a manufacturer of

cohesive bandages and compression systems for the

healthcare, animal health and sports medicine markets.

Based in Salisbury, Massachusetts, USA, Andover

Healthcare is a family-owned business established in 1976.

Its notable developments include a latex-free bandage and

cohesive bandages that generate controlled compression.

Andover Healthcare will be joining Milliken

Healthcare Products, Milliken’s dedicated healthcare

business based in Spartanburg, South Carolina, USA.

Contact: Halsey Cook, President and Chief

Executive Officer, Milliken & Co. Tel: +1 (864) 503-

2020. Email: [email protected];

http://www.milliken.com; or: Tom Murphy,

Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Andover

Healthcare Inc. Tel: +1 (978) 465-0044. Fax: +1

(978) 462-0003. https://andoverhealthcare.com

Tissue engineeringSynthetic skin could aid wound healing

Engineers from the UK’s University of Edinburgh and

Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science

and Technology, in St Gallen have manufactured a thin

artificial skin from nanofibres.

The thickness and elasticity of the fabric wound dressing

can be customized to the needs of specific areas of the

body, and the nanofibres can be absorbed by the skin’s

own tissue as it heals.

Two synthetic materials – polyvinylpyrrolidone and

polyglycerol sebacate (PGS) – were blended to produce

nanofibres using a nozzle-free electrospinning device, which

comprises a rotating cylinder above a pool of solution

containing the two components. As the cylinder spins

under high voltage and temperature, tiny fibres are quickly

produced from the liquid and spun onto an adjacent hot

surface. The fabric is formed as the fibres cool.

According to the researchers, PGS is stretchable and

compatible with human tissue. Tests on skin cells showed

that the nanofibres provide a scaffold on which newly

formed skin can grow.

Dr Norbert Radacsi of the University’s School of

Engineering said the technique represents a cost-effective

way of making artificial skin that can be adapted for all areas

of the body, to accelerate the wound healing process. The

fact that the fabric can be absorbed by the body would

negate the need for frequent dressing changes.

The researchers will now focus on further developing

and testing the material for medical use, which they

expect will take about four years.

See also: Medical Engineering & Physics, In press,

Nozzle-free electrospinning of polyvinylpyrrolidone/

poly(glycerol sebacate) fibrous scaffolds for skin tissue

engineering applications; http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/

j.medengphy.2019.06.009

Contact: Antonios Keirouz, School of Engineering,

Institute for Materials and Processes, University of

Edinburgh. Tel: +44 (131) 650-1000. Fax: +44

(131) 650-6554. Email: [email protected];

https://www.eng.ed.ac.uk

12

Figure 7:

Artificial skin

produced using

nanoscale

technology at the

University of

Edinburgh. Photo:

Antonios Keirouz.


Documents

Medical Textiles (August 2019) · A calcium alginate fabric that can be used as a wound dressing is disclosed by Qingdao Bright Moon Seaweed Group of China 3 An improved surgical